<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Red Dawn Part 2 by well_well_well</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28872948">Red Dawn Part 2</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/well_well_well/pseuds/well_well_well'>well_well_well</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Red Dawn [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Black Panther (2018), Captain Marvel (2019), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Awesome Maria Hill, Awesome Pepper Potts, Clint Barton &amp; Natasha Romanov Friendship, Deaf Clint Barton, Field Trip, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Lesbian Maria Hill, Maria Hill is a Good Bro, Meme Lord Shuri (Marvel), Natasha Romanov Is Not A Robot, Natasha Romanov Is a Good Bro, Peter Parker's Field Trip to Stark Industries, Precious Peter Parker, Protective Avengers, Protective Natasha Romanov, Protective Pepper Potts, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has A Heart, blackhill - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 06:54:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>53,560</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28872948</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/well_well_well/pseuds/well_well_well</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Set 6 months or so after Part 1 (and better writing quality)</p><p>Red's all sorted, got an amazing Asgardian girlfriend, an adopted Spidermum, tons of aunts and uncles, cousins and siblings but field trips? getting spontaneously stabbed a lot of the time? running around the globe looking for long lost sisters? nope, never tried that before</p><p>i.e. I suck at summaries, but please give it a ago. A series following a teenager with Wanda-like abilities featuring Parental Black Widow, Buckey's cookies and good old field trips...</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Brunnhilde | Valkyrie (Marvel)/Original Female Character(s), Clint Barton &amp; Natasha Romanov, Maria Hill/Natasha Romanov, Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Peter Parker &amp; Natasha Romanov, Peter Parker &amp; Tony Stark, Yelena Belova/Carol Danvers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Red Dawn [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2088114</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hi, so I really hope you like this work, I started it as a bit of a joke but now in up to almost 150 pages.... so updates will be every 2 days or so!</p><p>Please comment ideas or leave kudos, it's really appreciated</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Here's an update just because we haven't finished uploading Part 1 yet (you don't have to read it, ill explain it all here...):</p><p>Red Dawn or Iris Davids has Wanda-like abilities from absorbing the powers of the infinity stones after they shattered in a plane crash.<br/>
Natasha Romanoff was sent to recruit her. Peter Parker (spider-man) and Valkyrie were also in the programmed. Ihey used the classic old 'internship' lie to get out for school fir 2 months to train.<br/>
As expected Red falls-like really falls for Valkyrie. After Nat prompts her she expresses her feeling and they got together (yay!)<br/>
But oh no villain's ruin everything, evil robot appeared and tried to take over the world and long story short the Avenger's stopped them, found out about Val and Red (and supported them) and Spider-Man, Red Dawn and Brunhilde Valkyrie were welcomed in to the Avengers (where they met shuri..... bad combo Shuri+gen z kids=lightsaber fights at 2am, too many vine references and movie marathons)<br/>
Hope you enjoy.... </p><p>What better way to start off than a lovely embarrassing school trip, am I right?</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The beginning</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>‘Good Morning Red, it is currently 7:00am, Valkyrie would like to say thank you for staying with her last night as that she appreciates your support at the moment especially’ FRIDAYS voice rings out through the sound system in my personalised room. Bright yellow walls and a huge set of bookshelves. No desk, but I share a lab with Peter and Val.</p><p>I groan and rub my eyes, 2 hours sleep, 1 more than last night I suppose rolling over and standing up in my Pj’s, at once the glass clears and the beautiful penthouse view spreading out around me.<br/>I pull on some clothes and run down to the kitchen. Both Caps are there, A making pancakes and M reading a book I recommended to them.</p><p>‘Hey Uncle Cap, my favourite Auncle Cap’ I say skidding in in my socks</p><p>‘Hey kiddo, I’ve made breakfast, and why is M your favourite?’ Cap A replies bringing the pile to the table where Carol joins us</p><p>‘Well, since Auntie and Uncle are gendered, I decided to think of another name to call you and squished them together, so you are now my auntcle or uncie. Is anyone else coming?’ I look around, expecting Clint to fall out of a vent or Peter to burst through a window. Carol looks impressed at my reasoning</p><p>‘Mr and Mrs stark are currently working’ FRIDAYS voice comes through the system, answering my question ‘Peter and Val are still asleep having no school today, Clint is in the vents above conference room C and Nat is working in Ecuador and Thor is off world’<br/>‘Thanks FRI’ I reply happily helping myself to pancakes</p><p>‘Anyway, Auntcle Carol I was wondering if you could take me to school today, I think Happy’s off and I’ll be late if you don’t’ Carol narrows their eyes at me.</p><p>‘You want to me to fly you to school?’ they question, slowly putting down their fork, I explain quickly<br/>‘No, no, no not to school, just like a few blocks down, I mean we’ve done it before, pleeeeease’ I beg, making my Puppy Eyes TM at the trying not to smirk figure. </p><p>‘You can literally fly yourself’ She laughs</p><p>‘ahhh yes’ I deadpan ‘that is the good thing about a secret identity, you can fly around in a red glow without rising suspicion’<br/>‘Fine’ they laugh again ‘meet me on the roof at 8. Do not be late’ and with that they walk out. Cap A looks at me appraisingly<br/>‘Those Puppy Eyes really work on everyone, don’t they’ he states, and I use them to their full force</p><p>‘Fine’ he huffs handing over the last pancake</p><p>15 minutes later I’m standing on the roof when a glow glow in the distance comes hurtling towards me.</p><p>‘hey unctie, you are 34 seconds late’ I say as Carol lands on the roof, they roll their eyes and scoops me up like I weigh nothing<br/>‘Careful or I might deliver you straight to the door’ they laugh, shooting off in the direction of my high school.</p><p>We land gently, a few streets down and I walk a few steps before realising Carol is following me. I spin around annoyed<br/>‘Why are you coming’ I ask, seeing they’re donning a cap and sunglasses. They laugh and runs to catch up with me<br/>‘Thought I’d see where Junior’s un-optional third home is’ they chuck their arm over my shoulder and I know there’s no resisting. We walk in silence until we reach the gates.</p><p>‘who’s that Piris, a personal bodyguard because you’re so special from your fake internship’<br/>Izzie has spotted us and is yelling across the playground/courtyard/I don’t know what it called. I feel my Auntcle stiffening beside me and I poke them</p><p>‘chill, it’s okay, they don’t believe I work with superheroes is all’ I offer a weak smile, but Carol has made up their mind and is striding towards my bully.</p><p>‘Hi, who are you and why are you harassing my niece’ they say shorty. Izzie stares at them then me, hiding meekly behind the imposing figures back.</p><p>‘I… I’m Izzie, Izzie Stuart’ she says, slightly confused why this random person has walked up to her.<br/>‘Hello Izzie, Izzie Stuart, my name Carol, Carol Danvers and if you ever say anything like that to Red again, I know several people who know how to hide a body. Have a great day’ and with that the superhero turns tail and leaves. But hears Izzie exclaim behind her</p><p>‘Wait, is that Carol Danvers, like Carol Danvers Captain Marvel’ I stiffen up but my Auntcle stays cool, turning around and lowering their sunglasses in a badass way and frowning as if they’re considering something<br/>‘I suppose anything’s possible kid, adios Red’ </p><p>Al is waiting for me at the gate grinning, I check my phone quickly-still no word from Nat who’s off on a top-secret mission and return the smile walking into school with a bounce in my stride.</p><p>By period 8 I feel extremally different.<br/>‘Red, Red, hello’ Al is shaking me. Damn it I must have drifted off again, we are I chemistry but thanks to Dr Banners tutoring I can easily zone out and catch up the work.</p><p>‘What’s the matter-no sleep again last night?’ my best friend enquires, looking worried<br/>‘3 hours sleep in the last two days… but I’m fine, really. It’s just Val’ I explain quickly, pretending to look interested in the teacher.<br/>‘Oh’ her face falls ‘did you break up or something?’ </p><p>I reassure her quickly ‘no, no, it’s just, the anniversary of The Fall and I think she’s just remembering how much she’s moved on and doubting herself and everything. I’ve just been mopping up her tears and stroking back her hair pretty much’</p><p>Alex looks slightly happier ‘thank goodness you guys are the cutest. Tell her I say hi please’ she smiles but Mr Stephens raises his voice<br/>‘Right girls, so, we have a very exciting announcement for you. We are going to a very exciting Field trip to the one and only… Stark Towers Avengers Compound!’<br/>Crap.<br/>Al hits me. Hard. ‘dude your glowing’ I look down at my hands, red tendrils are crawling between my fingers. I vanish them quickly. And run out of the room as soon as class ends, Al runs to catch up</p><p>‘Where are you going?’ she yells</p><p>‘Home’ I answer ‘well, the tower’ I suppose it is my home now, my parents have moved away so now, as a 6th former I live at the tower, sharing the penthouse with Nat, Clint, the Starks, Peter, Val and all the other Avengers.</p><p>‘Will we get to see the Avengers’ ‘maybe we could meet Thor’ ‘or see the Labs’ ‘Or meet Red Dawn, she’s my favourite’ conversations are running through the corridor like lava, but I just keep my head down and walk as fast as I can</p><p>‘come one dude, it’ll be fun meeting Earths Mightiest Heroes’ Al laughs by my side, and I retort quickly </p><p>‘I practically live there, you come over all the time and they haven’t seen Earth’s mightiest heroes sitting on the floor in their PJ’s arguing about Monopoly’</p><p>Al laughs again</p><p>‘In their defence Nat did says she wanted to choke us all by shoving the houses down our throats but that was in Russian so everyone thought she was cheating and got angry…’</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. The Field Trip Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The trip begins.....</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>TW: One (1) swear word!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>‘Hello small Midgardian’ Thor greets as I storm into the penthouse</p><p>‘Got to kill Stark’ is all I mutter under my breath but admit defeat on finding the illustrious Iron Man within seconds and crash onto my bed instead.</p><p>Its dinner when my secret finally comes out. Once a week Tony forces us into a team supper and it takes only 5 seconds into the meal for Clint to pass Tony a small slip, I recognize.</p><p>‘Hey Metal Man, Red here has had a little surprise at school she needs permission for’ the spy states and the rest of the table gather around to read it.</p><p>‘you are in deep shit’ Clint points out among other comments. I sink my head into my hands</p><p>‘Lord lend me patience or a handgun’</p><p>A gun is thrust into my field of vision by a long slender hand I blink quickly. Bucky is passing a small silencer my way.<br/>‘Absolutely not. Creepy Russian sensibilities away please.’ Stark counters snatching the gun off the smirking man</p><p>Clint tries to slip me a knife but Steve catches him at it and confiscated the weapon.</p><p>‘nope, no weapons for small children today’ he states, but misses Val finally pushing a taser into my hands</p><p>‘Okay so, team meeting on Thursday-the day before the trip, everyone but Red is invited. FRIDAY create a protocol called ‘Mission Possible-Embarrass Red AKA revenge is a dish best served cold’ Tony laughs mirthlessly. I slip into a pit of despair and do not leave it until Friday.<br/>***<br/>On Friday morning I wake up to a small rustling in my vents. I groan inwardly and yell out-still half asleep<br/>‘Clint Barton get the hell out of my vents or you may be getting one of my throwing knives lodged in an uncomfortable location’ I bellow. </p><p>When I get no reply I send a stream of Dawn directly to the hinges holding the vent in place. With a huge crash and a pile of metal the archer comes smashing to the ground. He bounds up again and winks</p><p>‘well that was harsh’ he signs furiously at me</p><p>‘but necessary’ I sign back, then roll my eyes ‘you lose your hearing aids again?’</p><p>He frowns ‘Peter webbed them to the ceiling cus I crashed his Mario cart meaning Nat won’ </p><p>‘Okay’ I sign back ‘Go bribe him with Bucky’s cookies-and leave’ I push his out of the room with a wall of dawn and roll over closing my eyes again but FRIDAY’s voice rings out</p><p>‘Sorry but Mr Stark says ‘Up Twinkle fingers or I’ll send Clint in again’ I groan (outwardly that time)</p><p>‘Tell Old Man I say-you sent him? Traitor but I’m coming on the bribe of cookies for breakfast’ </p><p>FRIDAY pauses for a moment then replies in Stark’s voice</p><p>‘Whatever means necessary to get you out of bed and to school in time Red, see you soon’</p><p>I roll out of bed and search through my wardrobe for something to wear. I decide on grey jeans, a plain white top with a tiny bee on it and a random hoodie that says ‘Superhero is disguise’ that Nat got me as a joke a few months ago. And walk into the kitchen, the whole gang is there. Peter sitting on the ceiling, Steve and Bucky at the stove and Tony and Carol sitting around the table.<br/>After a few minutes of frenzied eating (3 people with high metabolism are hard to feed) I speak up.</p><p>‘So I know you know I have a trip here today. And I also know you are my family’</p><p>‘Indeed that is correct young bean’ Stark booms, peter snorts into his orange juice</p><p>‘and you are all nice people’ I continue glaring daggers at him</p><p>‘Debatable’ Peter grins</p><p>‘So will not embarrass me in front of my class’</p><p>‘Yep-nope’ Clint states simply. I consider face slamming into my scrambled eggs</p><p>***</p><p>As the bus draws up outside, I release a shaky breath<br/>‘it’ll be fine’ Alex reassures, and I nod noiselessly</p><p>Everyone streams out of the doors, overly excited to see the place where superheroes live. Mrs Scott is the teacher with us, tall, blunt, and shockingly homophobic at times, I grimace as Alex and me, long with the popular gang are placed in her group<br/>‘ha’ Izzie calls out ‘now we’ll finally be able to prove Piris’s internship is a fake’ the class laughs as we pass through the big glass doors. At once the two receptionists-Luke and Harriet leap up</p><p>‘hello and welcome to the Avengers compound, our names are Luke and Harriet, and we will be taking you around today’ Luke grins at me and adds<br/>‘hey Red’ and winks. Izzie is almost speechless. </p><p>‘So, we are going to start by handing out all the visitor badges, they will give you access to floors 1-50. <br/>Here at Stark Industries we have 10 levels of badges. Level one tours and guest, you’ve access to floors 1-50. Level 2 is for paparazzi, who are the same as tours but can take pictures. Level 3 are janitors and other staff like that. Level 4 are Interns and temporary scientists, like me. We have access to levels 1-60 which is the same as you but includes the labs. 5, 6 and 7 are just normal staff, higher level interns and scientists. but at level 8 are the SHEILD agents and temporary guest living quarters access floors 1-80. Then we get onto the exciting stuff. Level 9 gives access to the Avengers who don’t live here like King T’Challa, they have access to all floors 1-90, 70-90 are training rooms basically and Mr Stark and Dr Banners private labs-so everything except the penthouse, who are Level 10, the penthouse is floors 90-100 and are living quarters to Mr and Mrs Stark and the other Avengers that live here, on sight as well as the 3 heirs, their badges are customised but recognizable by the gold rim.’<br/> We proceed to the desk and he hands everyone out visitor badges, excluding Al and I who are already logged on FRIDAY’S system. Mrs Scott notices this and asks quickly</p><p>‘excuse me, two of my students have not received any badges’<br/>Harriet replies with a smile ‘Al and Red are already on the system; they have retina scans, badges and fingerprint’</p><p>‘Oh’ Mrs Scott replies simply and hurries us towards the scanner. Izzie, of course pushes to the front first.</p><p>‘Izzie Davids. Level 1 access. Welcome’ FRIDAY’s robotic voice rings out from the speakers, everyone looks around in shock<br/>‘that’s FRIDAY the AI Tony Stark invented to help run the Compound. Please carry on going through’ Luke prompts. The students mill through quickly</p><p>‘Whitmore Kashuf. Level 1 access. Welcome’<br/>‘Isabella Stephens. Level 1 access. Welcome’<br/>Then Alex’s turn come<br/>‘Alex Major AKA Al, welcome back Al. Access level 9’ FRIDAY states and the students look around. Izzie searches for an insult.<br/>‘you get your nerdy friend to hack into the systems PIris’ she shoots at me from the other side of the scanner holding up my gold rimmed bi flag coloured card Val got me.</p><p>‘don’t get Al into this’ I say sadly stepping though the scanner, if possible, FRIDAY’S voice brightens if possible<br/>Hello, Red, how are you’ she asks as I step out</p><p>‘good thanks, what about you’ I reply casually, as if is totally normal to have a conversation with an AI-which it is.<br/>‘Great, thank you for asking. Level 10 access. Mr Stark would like me to tell you that he says welcome to your group and that you did not make your bed this morning; he is not mad-just disappointed. Ms Romanoff says she is home, все будет хорошо, детка, рассвет Или я убью людей, которые делают что-то не так and please can you stop leaving your school shit around the god damned tower, Clints tripped over it twice already today. Steve and Bucky have made cookies to make up for the message from Nat as they can assume it is something a) terrifying b) terrifying’ (Nat says: I'll handle anyone who makes this trip a problems)</p><p>I turn bright red and reply quickly ‘please tell Tony I am extremally sorry and Nat спасибо, и если это Клинт или Рози, я помогу тебе избавиться от тел, oh and thank Uncle Cap for the cookies’ I add, smiling slightly (Red says: Thank you, and if it's Clint i'll help you get rid of the body)</p><p>‘Message relayed. Would you like me to tell your girlfriend or boss you’re here’ FRIDAY suddenly asks calmly. The class gapes, they don’t know about Val, or that im gay or that I have anyone at all. I take a deep breath and reply, hopefully soundly calmer than I feel.</p><p>‘yes, please FRI’ I turn to my also speechless teacher ‘Mrs Scott do we have a break at all?’</p><p>‘at…at 10:30’ she replies, stammering slightly, I catch Al’s eye and bite back a grin</p><p>‘Please may you ask Val to meet me in the lounge at 10:30 and Nat to join us at quarter to’ I say as we begin walking down the corridor</p><p>‘no need Red’ FRIDAY replies, ‘The Black Widow is on her way to join you now, and will be accompanying you on the first part of the tour’</p><p>‘Thanks Fri, that’ll be all’ I call back as we reach the first door, and the guides turn around preparing to talk<br/>‘any time, Red’ the AI replies ‘I’ll remind Brunhilde at 25 pasts’</p><p>The class explodes with questions ‘who is Brunhilde’ ‘why do you have level 10’ ‘you have a girlfriend?’ but I cut my voice over the rest</p><p>‘I have level 10 and my own room from my internship, most of the Avengers are close friends and Brunhilde Valkyrie heir to the throne of Asgard is my girlfriend’ I state quickly ‘any questions?’ for once the room is silent. Until a particularly obnoxious boy at the back calls out</p><p>‘yes, sure and I’m dating The Black Widow’ the rest snickers</p><p>‘Aw, I wish you’d told me, I would have brought flowers’ a voice dripping with sarcasm emerges from the shadows <br/>‘well done мой ребенок, great explanation’ Natasha is leaning against the door, curly-red hair loose around her shoulders, dressed in her signature black cat suit, guns and tasers hung around her hips.</p><p>‘Auntie Nat!’ I close to squeal and run through the crowd to my mentor hugging her tightly. Nat has been away in Ecuador for a fortnight locking down a drug bust, and I’m been surprised how much I’ve missed her sneaking up on us, or Russian and pointe lessons. She gives me a little squeeze</p><p>‘рада тебя видеть, я надеюсь, ты не отставал от своего русского’ (good to see you too, I hope you have been keeping up with your Russian) she smirks</p><p>‘конечно’ (of course) I reply, laughing at Izzie’s surprised face. </p><p>‘Alright everybody’ Luke tries to call over the din, but it remains constant</p><p>‘Quiet’ Widow yells, taking her face at the front and switching into tough stony spy mode. At once the class hushes. I almost laugh.<br/>‘all right everyone, first we will be looking through the museum then be taking you on a tour of the compound.’ </p><p>We set off down the steel and glass corridor. Nat falls back, possibly to talk to Al and me but is intercepted by Izzie</p><p>‘Hey Nat’ she says mimicking my greeting to the spy and walking happily alongside the assassin. Widow stares ahead blankly and replies coldly</p><p>‘It’s Ms Romanoff, Agent or Ms Widow to you.’ </p><p>I bite down a laugh as Izzie’s face falls. ‘but PIris’ she whines. Nat turns on her looking bemused.</p><p>‘мой рассвет is a close friend and colleague, she has earnt the right to know me.’ And with that the spy turns tail and walk directly to Alex and me.</p><p>‘exhausting child’ she whispers to us as we enter the museum and then vanishes wordlessly into the shadows.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>hope you enjoyed, comments and kudos really appreciated :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. The Field Trip Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>We slowly walk around the museum, many halting at the Captain America exhibit, there are boards on all the Avengers, Tony shooting through the sky, Hawkeye pulling his bow, Captain Marvel shooting lasers or the glow stuff from her fists while flying, Thor wielding his hammer and Black Widow, standing tall, shooting with a gun in each hand. I pause a little at this board and give it a quick read.</p><p>‘Natasha Romanoff, also known as Natalie Rushman or Black Widow has over 32 aliases and it is still questioned which is correct. Ms Widow is a spy, assassin and now Avenger, how, despite a troubled childhood excels with Hawkeye as the only members of the Avenger without technical superpowers.’</p><p>I laugh quietly remembering Nat fighting back in London. She’s as superheroine as the Cap and Thor in my opinion. Suddenly I hear a shout</p><p>‘Iris, quick, look at this’ Alex is shouting from the other side of the room. I walk over quickly and see three new boards erected in the corner. Spider-man is labelled on one, with a shot of Peter is action from London, but the other two catch my eyes, and that of many of the others. Brunhilde Valkyrie is emblazoned across the top, the image is beautiful, catching Val in her element. Sword raised, plunging it into a bot. The other makes my breath catch.</p><p>Red Dawn</p><p>‘Red Dawn would like to remain anonymous like Spider-Man. She received powers in a plane crash and wields a red glow she calls Dawn. Using this she could be considered one of the strongest avengers and can fly, control objects and use it as a weapon.’</p><p>Al looks at me with wonder in her eyes<br/>‘did you know this was here’ she asks studying the photo.</p><p>My pink hair is flowing out behind me, vibrainium mask hiding my face. I am hovering just off the ground, my dawn wrapped around my arms ready to strike.</p><p>‘no’ I say slowly looking around for Nat ‘no I did not’</p><p>‘Your afraid of flying?’ Al asks, raking her eyes through the Fun Facts board</p><p>-Red Dawn is afraid of flying, unless she is using her Dawn<br/>-Red Dawn is The Black Widow’s favourite Avenger and is trained by Ms Romanoff in Latin, Russian, Ballet, Spying and general training<br/>-Red Dawn cannot drink tea unless it contains sugar<br/>-Red Dawn is, like spiderman scared of spiders (technically this wasn’t true, I’m not scared of Nat and she’s a spider)<br/>-Red Dawn is close friends with Valkyrie, Spiderman, and Princess Shuri of Wakanda, they often yell vines at each other while pranking the team.</p><p>‘well try being in a plane crash that killed 24 and finding out you can rip things from inside out’ I counter, still laughing at the prank thing-it’s true I just didn’t think Mr Stark would admit it</p><p>But a commotion is coming from the board next to me</p><p>‘no way is this PIris’s gf’ voices say</p><p>‘she is way out of her league’ Izzie says</p><p>I creep up behind her ‘you’re right’ I say and the girl jumps ‘I am incredibly lucky she chose someone so weak and feeble as me with no powers.’ I laugh, catching Alex’s eye</p><p>‘Broo…Brun… she doesn’t have powers’ Izzie states turning around to face me looking smug</p><p>‘yes she does’ I reply quickly ‘Brunhilde is a shapeshifter, Valkyrie and heir to the throne of Asgard after Thor’s reign ends’ I list these facts and Izzie narrows her eyes-this girl does not know when to quit I think to myself</p><p>‘sure, she does’ she popular girl replies snarkily ‘and Valkyrie is her name, not a power’ but I’m not the only one who can sneak you on her</p><p>‘Red is correct, Val is a practised shapeshifter and fighter. The Valkyrie are an elite group of female warriors sworn to protect the throne of Asgard-at the moment that is Thor, but Val will rule as King in 7 years when she turns 25’ again Izzie jumps. <br/>Natasha is standing directly behind her. The other girls snigger at her response. But are cut off my Mrs Scott looking queasy making an announcement</p><p>‘It is 10:30 girls, you can go wherever you would like that we have viewed in groups’ a few girls cheer and the majority clear out leaving only Al, Izzie, Nat and I. Izzie eyes me</p><p>‘have fun meeting your fake girlfriend Piris’ she laughs. I have a quick thought</p><p>‘would you like to come and meet her?’ I ask, raising one eyebrow, Izzie looks shocked</p><p>‘I mean…I…sure’ she decides ‘this will be a funny story to tell the girls’ I lead the way confidently down a number of secretive corridors, at one door FRIDAY rings out</p><p>‘This is a special Avengers zone. Please state your name to the monitor and look into the scanner’. Nat goes first<br/>‘Natalie Rushman’ she states looking into the laser.</p><p>‘access approved’ FRIDAY replies</p><p>‘I thought you were Natasha Romanoff’ Izzie questions again. Nat smirks</p><p>‘spy remember… you’re up Red’</p><p>‘Iris Davids approving access for Izzie’ I look into the laser, and prompt Izzie to do the same.</p><p>‘Welcome Red’ the AI quotes. ‘Brunhilde is in the lounge with Steve, Thor, Clint and Maria Hill, would you like me to tell her you are on your way up?’ I see Nat smile at the name</p><p>‘No thanks Fri’ I reply ‘I’ll surprise her’</p><p>With that we are through! Izzie looks around in wonder as we rise in the glass lift, compound spreading out between us. Even in the lift FRIDAY speaks</p><p>‘Red, would you like me to prepare your room for you if you are intending on staying the night again?’ it asks as we reach the top floor</p><p>‘yes please’ I reply seeing the look on Izzie’s face ‘That would be great’</p><p>***  </p><p>‘Welcome to the Avengers floor’ I announce as the doors open and we step out. I can’t resist running slightly down the corridor, excited to see Val even though it’s only been a few days since I last saw her (she’s been off world with Thor) Nat and Izzie match my pace easily and I take a deep breath before opening the lounge/kitchen door.</p><p>Steve is at the stove, looking comedically dad like in a plaid apron, Hawkeye is sorting out his arrows-for no apparent reason it seems other than to have an excuse to poke the trying to sleep Thor ever so often. </p><p>Even Izzie can see the change in Nat’s demeanour she relaxes and smiles loosely, shedding the badass spy exterior like a snake shedding her skin. Val and Maria are half asleep on the second couch facing away from the door. I wink at my mentor</p><p>‘Girlfriend bomb?’ I grin and she nods, we run across the room and leap over the edge of the sofa landing in a heap on your partners. </p><p>I hear a soft ‘hey honey’ from next to me just im cut off my Val’s cry of delight ‘Elskan!’ she calls and kisses me quickly. I smile, remembering the girl’s comments, boy am I lucky. Izzie still stands in the doorway and I peep my head up like a meerkat</p><p>‘Val, this is Izzie, who didn’t believe my a)internship b)access and c)… well… you and your powers’ Izzie looks shamefaced at Val, who is a long shot from the heroic picture, but still both beautiful and recognisable. She is wearing lilac tracksuits with a grey vest top and her long dark hair loose around her shoulders. We both get up from the sofa, were Nat and Maria are still speaking in hushed tones.</p><p>‘hey’ Val says, knitting her fingers in with mine and narrowing her eyes at Izzie.</p><p>‘Im Brunhilde……… Shapeshifter, Valkyrie and heir to the throne of Asgard’ she states smirking slightly.</p><p>‘h…hi’ Izzie stammers looking around the room in awe. </p><p>I take over ‘guys’ I yell out, they all look up.</p><p>‘This is Izzie from school, Izzie, this is, well you know who they are…’ The smaller girls jaw drops at my casual introductions. Steve turns around and addresses the almost trembling girl</p><p>‘if I ever hear of you being mean to my daughter again, well you may be getting a visit from us’ he threatens, but the statement is somewhat dulled by the fact he is brandishing a wooden spoon not a shield. Thor and Hawkeye nod in agreement.</p><p>I check my watch quickly ‘damn we gotta go or Mrs Scott will kill me more than she already wants to homophobic bitch’ I mutter </p><p>‘language’ cap states from his place at the stove. </p><p>‘English’ I reply</p><p>‘Russian’ Nat calls from the sofa</p><p>‘Norse’ Val laughs and kisses my check</p><p>‘I agree with Uncle Steve-anyone who hurts my girl has me to deal with’ she laughs plopping back down on the sofa</p><p>‘bye embarrassments’ I practically yell trying to drag the still star stuck Izzie out the room, but Thor calls me back</p><p>‘hey kid, you can’t get rid of us that easy. Stark has ordered us to station around the compound and given us all permission to both show off and embarrass you’ he chuckles, throwing his hammer from hand to hand.</p><p>I groan noisily ‘I’m gunna kill that man’ I finally make it out of the room but not before I hear shouts of ‘remember to invite me’ and ‘lemme grab my guns’ coming from Val and Nat.</p><p>***</p><p>‘Woah’ Izzie says as soon as we enter the elevator and I request for Friday to take us to the ground floor ‘you live with those guys, dude? You call them aunt and uncles and Captain America said daughter?’</p><p>‘yeah’ I reply simply ‘All except Mr stark who really insists I call him Tony but I just can't I don't know why it just feels wrong and since my sister moved away and my parents live like an hour away I pretty much live here on weekdays and sometimes at the weekends too depending on who’s cooking and well Steve just jokes about that… they’ve kind of unofficially adopted me’ I say calmly as we step out the elevator and FRIDAY calls out the location of our group</p><p>‘so, lemme get this straight’ the girl turns to me ‘you live in a tower with a god, a billionaire, a robin hood a few others and an assassin you call Auntie Nat who take turns to cook dinner?’</p><p>‘yes’ I say opening the doors to the lobby where everyone is lining up to join the tour ‘this is my very dysfunctional happy family and I love them all.’ Smiling I walk over to our group again.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Comments, kudos and suggestions appreciated!<br/>Stay safe and well :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. The Field Trip Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>TW: verbal harassment, slight homophobia</p><p>Shuri the vine Queen.... what more can I say...?</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The tour carries in the down the stairs lobby with us slowly filing through the meeting and business rooms, the next is more interesting, as we make our way up to the labs FRIDAYS voice fills the elevator.</p><p>‘good morning all, I have a message for Red, you would like me to announce it now or wait until you are in private?’ a few students jump but I grin</p><p>‘that depends FRI, who’s it from’ I ask hesitantly     </p><p>‘Steve’ is the AI’s short response I grin to myself as murmurs fill the elevator and a few people nudge each other</p><p>‘sure’ I reply (knowing Steve wouldn’t do anything to bad) and the AI quotes in the Cap’s voice</p><p>‘I know you said no embarrassing you kid, but it’s our job-or at least Starks told us to be there for your group- so see you and your friends in the lab, I’ll be with Banner. Oh, and Shuri’s arrived from Wakanda. Warning there’s three of us on all levels…. So be prepared’ </p><p>I swear quietly to myself. He waits a second as if waiting for a reply then FRIDAY announces-still in Cap’s voice<br/>‘language’ </p><p>the message cuts off as the door opens, questions dying on lips as my classmates take in the scene in front of them, I smile to my self-remembering the first time I saw the lab floor.</p><p>The entire floor is a single room, rows of white desks, shelves and cupboards line the walls, people bustle around busily in long white coats chatting and sharing ideas. Al has been put on a different group, so I follow the gang in alone. Smiling to myself I notice my friends giggling and nudging each other as they spot Cap talking to someone across the lab. A few come over to me, still giggling-I resist the urge to roll my eyes.</p><p>‘PIris, you know the Captain right, or at least Iz says you do so…’ she doesn’t finish but another takes over<br/>‘could you introduce us…. Pleeeease’ I grimace internally</p><p>‘fine I agree-but no more questions about me living here and Val and stuff’ I bargain leading the way across the lab<br/>‘wait you live here-’but the question isn’t finished as I stop in front of Steve</p><p>‘hey uncle cap’ I say to him, hearing titters behind me at the name ‘these guys wanted me to introduce you’ the girls virtually pop out from behind my back</p><p>‘this is Lilly, Maggie, Sophie and JoJo’ with that I turn tail and leave ‘bye guys, bye cap’ I hear the girls asking eager question and some phone shutters going as well, but turn my attention to actually touring the lab like the others, even asking some questions to the few scientists who didn’t know me as Red Dawn, just a school kid.</p><p>A few people stop outside a frosted glass private lab</p><p>‘Why does it say, ‘gay disasters #2 and #3 and Straight boi but still a disaster?’ they question reading the plaque outside the door. I turn red, this is my, Val and Peter’s lab. I cut in before the tour guide can explain</p><p>‘They are just some very important interns, I’m sure they wouldn’t mind if you looked’ I say trying to draw people’s attention off the embarrassing sign. I walk up to the door and place my hand in the space between the signs, FRIDAYs voice rings out</p><p>‘Hello Red, welcome to your lab, I have finished running the prototype for the Old Man and Little Red-Headed Murder Hood’<br/>‘FRIDAY please change the names to Starksie and тетя нат’ I groan but the AI responds quickly</p><p>‘I’m afraid I can’t Miniboss my protocols are overridden by Mission Possible: embarrass Red AKA revenge is a dish best served cold’<br/>The door opens and she class spills into the room, fan Girling over the suits layed out on the table and the arrows and Widow bites cluttering up my desk.</p><p>‘why is it disasters #2 and #3, who is #1?’ JoJo questions</p><p>‘Urmm, well Shuri is one and a few other people are 4, 5 and 6, its just a joke really’ I explain; it’s a joke and a god source of secret Santa presents for the group. Shuri has a t-shirt with #1 on it, Nat and Maria have mugs with 4 and 5 and even Carol has a little pin badge with 6</p><p>After about 10 mins Harriet calls the group to attention. ‘Girls-we have a very special guest today; she is one of the leading technical engineers in the country and runs one of the most efficient and powerful mines in the World-meet Princes Shuri of Wakanda’</p><p>Shuri walk through the doors-im not sure what the others were expecting but a tall skinny girl of about our age in khaki pants and a cropped top who squeaks when she catches sight of me is probably not what they imagined</p><p>‘Tiny White Girl-ROAD WORK AHEAD?!’ she yells running at me fill tilt.</p><p>‘I SURE HOPE IT DOES’ I scream back opening my arms and hug the small girl tightly but grimace slightly after a second and gasp ‘air Shuri’ and she releases me and turn the group.</p><p>‘hey everyone, im Shuri, one of leading technology directors in the world, Vine Goddess and I run the vibrainium mine in Wakanda’ she says in her strong accent looking at the group narrowing her eyes slightly. Maddie has her hand up already.</p><p>‘you have a question already-go ahead’ she states, as if unsure on what to say</p><p>‘I’m sorry but is this the Wanda in Africa that recently came out to the public as a tech super city-not a rural village like people thought?’</p><p>Shuri laughs slightly ‘yes, that’s us. My brother-King T’Challa or the Black Panther recently opened our city to the public to share our knowledge and technology’ she pauses, sending me a shit-eating grin </p><p>‘and its Wa-kan-da-repeat after me children’</p><p>The class looks surprised at being called children by someone only about a year older than them but slowly repeat<br/>‘Wa-kan-da’</p><p>‘good’ is Shuri's response </p><p>‘If you call it otherwise I will steal your kneecaps’ the class laughs, but Shuri’s face remains a perfect mask <br/>‘I am not joking-I have the technology to do it. And they cant even arrest me because I’m a princess’</p><p>Shuri handles the next 30 minutes splendidly. Balancing perfectly lecturing without soundly boring and answering all types of questions about both herself and home city and the technology the is world renown for. We finish with a proper tour of her lab and a few nerds even get a go in her sand table car simulation. Dr Banner interrupts for a bit and Shuri shares the spotlight both genii bouncing ideas off each other much to the delight of the group. We are interrupted FRIDAY calling out</p><p>‘sorry to interrupt Dr Banner and Shuri but this is a reminder to move onto the training floor or you may lack the time to see around the Avengers living floor’</p><p>‘thanks Fri’ the princess replies ‘you better get moving Widow, Thor and Hawkeye are sparring upstairs-you don’t want to miss that!’ she laughs at the class murmur their thank you</p><p>‘maybe next year you guys could come on a trip to visit Wakanda and my lab-the mines are incredible’ a few wows and woahs come from the STEM nerds but before we leave Shuri calls me back</p><p>‘Tiny White Girl, you really thought you could leave without a hug’ I fake groan and pull her into me </p><p>‘they don’t know do they?’ she whispers in my ear</p><p>‘nope’ I reply quickly-Shuri is the only person outside of SHEILD and the Avengers who know me as Red Dawn</p><p>‘and I heard about you and Val’ she says, holding me at arm’s length like a proud grandma ‘well done gal’ she sounds so genuinely happy for me I can’t help but smile. </p><p>Yo, how much money do you have?" She yells as I walk out the room, I can’t help it. turning around I reply "69 cents" </p><p>"AYE, you know what that means?" we are in a rhythm now</p><p>"I don't have enough money for chicken nuggets." I run out of the room to her fake crying</p><p>***</p><p>It’s after this that Mrs Scott pulls me back</p><p>‘Iris I would like a quick word’ she asks, but I know it is an order, Al looks like she is going to wait but I smile at her<br/>‘You go on Al; I know how to work the lift’ this reassures her, and she turns heel and runs to catch up with the group. As soon as she’s left the teacher turns to me quickly</p><p>‘I don’t know what’s going on with you today Iris, and frankly I’m very disappointed in you’ the teacher recites</p><p>‘I know you had a hard time and then the crash, but that was over a year ago and lying to a government organisation is a crime’</p><p>Thought race in my head ‘what do you mean-I’m not committing a crime’ I stammer out, but the teacher interrupts me</p><p>‘I could just about stand you taking 2 whole months of school to recover from your ‘accident’, but this has gone on too long’</p><p>I am seriously confused now, a knot of terror building up in my stomach-I can’t be expelled, can I? this is just a misunderstanding.</p><p>‘I went on an internship course Mrs Scott, you saw the papers, they were signed I was interning, I was healed’ I plead but the teacher scoffs</p><p>‘we let you off because you had a hard time, Iris, now it is time to stop this lie and move on before Stark Industries takes legal action. The papers were forged, it is common knowledge you have to be at least 21 to have an internship for Stark and be in a good college at that’ she teacher virtually spits at me</p><p>‘FRIDAY’ I gasp as she pushes me against a wall ‘Initiate protocol Shakespeare in the park’ the AI remain silent</p><p>‘your hacked robot won’t help you now f*’ but the AI’s voice rings through the room</p><p>‘What level Red, remain calm’</p><p>‘Doth mother know you weareth her drapes’ I whimper </p><p>‘and then that robot you hacked; this is too much. You are suspended until further notice from Williamson’s school for hacking, forging, forcing a Princess to hug you and pretend to know you, to value you, to recognize you and lying to a government organisation. Be thankful that robot informed us all of your crimes, you don’t know the avengers. You don’t have an internship you are just a liar. <br/>So, where is she then?’</p><p>Her voice has taken on a ruthless tone now, and I am huddled in the corner, wishing more than ever I could protect myself with my Dawn.</p><p>‘w…who’ I gasp</p><p>‘your precious girlfriend, king of nowhere’ the venom im Mrs Scott’s voice catches as a voice behind us casually announces</p><p>‘here Miss, sorry I’m late I was saving my girlfriend from a homophobic bitch’ Val is standing, doing the Asgardian lean against the door. She strides over to my fumbling teacher, hand outstretched behind her, as if waiting for something and continues talking</p><p>‘listen know it all.’ She threatens <br/>‘I am Brunhilde, Valkyrie, Avenger, Shapeshifter and heir to the throne of Asgard. Not Knowhere, that is currently ruled by Minister Xiaoshan. Now, if you lay so much as a finger on Red again you will lose it.’ <br/>A distant for of crashes has been coming nearer and the sound of running feet. With a zoom a long case of turquoise lilac and gold flies to my girlfriends’ hand-much like thor hammer. In an instant Valkyrie has whipped out her Dragon fang sword and pinned Mrs Scott against the wall, blade to her throat.</p><p>‘I am now going to comfort my girlfriend. But remember, touch her again and you will not be so lucky.’ The teacher stumbles to the door, but the running feet have come near. Red hair flicks into Nat’s face as she blocks the doorway.</p><p>‘oh, мой ребенок’ she exclaims seeing me then turns to the teacher ‘nope, you are not leaving yet’ she growls.</p><p>Val skids to the floor beside me and hugs me tightly, picking up my hand and kissing it. </p><p>‘Shhh Cariad it’s okay’ she comforts, helping me to my feet ‘It’s okay’</p><p>‘Thank you, FRIDAY,’ I whisper hanging on to Val for dear life</p><p>‘Anytime Red, I’d do anything for my human family’ the Irish lilt replies softy</p><p>‘***</p><p>‘Act like nothing happened’ I explain simply to Val and Nat who appear to be brainstorming ways to kill Mrs Scott. They look at me aghast</p><p>‘Just for today, I don’t want even more attention drawn to me and my boss and girlfriend escorting a corpse out of the building will not help me fly under the radar’</p><p>Nat slowly spins her knife in her fingers and begins to pick behind her nails with it</p><p>‘If you ever hurt мой маленький ребенок again I will kill you in 107 different ways, even with the arm of your glasses’</p><p>By the end of our discussion we decide to leave Mrs Scott for the remainder of the trip. Val or Nat will tail me at all times, as well as FRIDAY recording me the entirety of the trip.</p><p>I take a deep breath as we leave the small room, she tormented me in and turn to the teacher</p><p>‘before we fake happy teacher-student I just want to say a few words. You fucking bitch, its 2020 grow up people can like however the hell they want’ I state then hug Nat tightly, <br/>‘you gotta go-there are kids up there waiting for the infamous Widow’ I say, and she smiles softly before leaving in the last elevator.</p><p>Val stays stonily quiet and by my side as I walk to the second lift before ordering FRIDAY to bring us to the level of our group</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. The Field Trip Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>We continue up to the next level and I can only think to myself halfway through, halfway before sit down and eat a superheroes lasagne with your family.</p><p>‘Training floor’ FRIDAY announces as we arrive on the floor, before we leave Luke turns so us.</p><p>‘Okay so, this floor is totally open, the elevators are locked to all but us’ he eyes me as well ‘so feel. free to wander around. Black widow, Thor and Hawkeye are in the big room so that will be worth the watch, Red can show you the way¸ we’re on our break now but someone rather famous might be taking you the rest of the way…’</p><p>‘Come on guys’ I call, striding off in the direction of the room putting on a brave face ‘let’s see them train first’ a gaggle run after me and I pause outside the big doors </p><p>‘hey FRI’ I call out ‘please may you warn the inhabitants that outsiders are coming in and is tell Spidey he might wanna get a mask on’ I add, seeing a flash as Peter flies past on his web</p><p>‘of course, Red, you may enter now, Spider-man has left’ the automated voice replies and the door buzzes.</p><p>The others had risen to the challenge of showing-off, Hawkeye is at the punch bag, delivering cracking blows every few seconds, Thor is outside the glass doors on the lawn, chucking his hammer mammoth distances and calling it back into his hands. Nat is at the gun rage she fires 3 shots, hitting bullseye easily then throws the gun to her left hand, 2 more bullseye and back to the right again. Hawkeye sees us first and call through to Nat, they walk over quickly</p><p>‘hey guy’ Clint says ‘I’m Hawkeye and I think you’ve met Agent Romanoff’ a few of us nod, I wink at him</p><p>‘this is one of our training facilities, we have 3 more rooms like this here, however most of us prefer to work as a group’ he punches Nat lightly, she slaps him hard back.</p><p>‘Ow. We’re going to carry on training and maybe spar a bit if you’d be interested in watching. Nat is going to go a quick talk on shooting and guns and if your teacher agrees maybe a few of you could have a go on a silencer.’</p><p>A half of us grin at this and Nat takes over, leading us to a table laden with guns. She talks us through each gun and picks up a small pistol last.</p><p>‘this is my gun of choice it’s a 2.1 caliber pistol, it’s not a silencer but I have one of those here’ she pats her left thigh’ she then goes onto showing us how to load, dismantle and clean a gun, much to Mrs Scott horror. Finally, she spins the gun in her hand and presents the handle to our group. </p><p>‘so’ she smirks ‘who wants a go’ laughing at our confounded faces she pushes it into my hands. ‘you’re up Red’</p><p>‘Excuse me Miss… Agent Romanoff, Iris is part of our school community, you cannot teach her to fire a gun in my class’</p><p>The Black Widow looks like she’s biting back a laugh (or a growl… it’s hard to tell with that woman)</p><p>‘I’m not teaching her. FRIDAY please search Starks Terms and Conditions for trip’ she asks the AI</p><p>‘Of course, Natalia’ the voice responds ‘In paragraph 3 it states in demonstrations only those holding direct, and legal license of the equipment can use it’ Nat pushes me to the front</p><p>‘I’ll tell Maria you threw away the cake she made’ I threaten as she snaps the headphones onto my ears. The spy looks shocked ‘you won’t dare’ </p><p>‘but Iris doesn’t have a license-’ The teacher questions</p><p>‘yes, I do, in case of a raid all interns attend a training course of sorts’ I explain to the teacher-my classmates are loving this </p><p>‘FRI’ I call again ‘Pull up my gun license’ at one a large projection of my license appears on the white wall. Nat smirks and fires 3 shots in quick succession hitting the target dead centre again. I follow her lead and fire as well, hitting just off 4 times and centre once.</p><p>‘do better’ Nat calls to me. I try again, aiming hard. 2 dead centres in quick succession. </p><p>‘Swap’ I call out again and without looking we chuck the guns between us catching the other’s, firing again hitting the targets head. They flop hopelessly to the floor. The class gapes. Nat turns back to the class</p><p>‘Okay children, who wants to learn how to kill a man’ Clint subtly shakes his head at her and she reviews the offers</p><p>‘fine. Who wants to know how to brutally maim a man’ Clint laughs slightly and takes over</p><p>‘Okay, now now we are going to run a little self-defence class, so boys come with me, girls over with Nat.’ a few boys groan at not being put with The Black Widow but she just rolls her eyes.</p><p>After half an hour’s hard work and Hawkeye occasionally yelling at Nat to stop teaching us to strangle people between our thighs we finish and sit puffing on the bench as Clint explains what’s happening next.</p><p>‘Okay so now you have the chance to spar with one of us, who wants to go first’ a volley of hands get thrown up but Nat narrows her eyes and picks Flash the butthole that made the rude comment earlier.</p><p>‘Can’t I fight, you know a man’ he states rudely as he steps onto the mat. Clint snorts ‘Scared of a girl? Well that’s not a first with Nat but she is the best fighter here, the only one known to beat her is Red Dawn but she could use her Dawn so…’</p><p>The next 4 seconds is spent with Nat wiping Flash on the floor, she finishes with her signature move and he struggles for a few seconds before admitting defeat. She laughs and calls me up. </p><p>‘Red’ I resist a groan and walk slowly up to my mentor</p><p>‘Серьезно, мама-паук, у меня есть секрет, чтобы сохранить’ I raise an eyebrow at the redhead (seriously mama spider I have a secret to keep)</p><p>‘и я хочу хорошего боя в отличие от этого довольно грубого джентльмена, который думал, что может победить меня’ she replies reaching down to kiss my forehead lightly and stroaking my hair out my face (I want a good fight, unlike this rather rude  gentleman who thought he could beat me)</p><p>‘люблю тебя мама паук’ I whisper, and we take up different side of the mat. (love you mama spider)</p><p>Everyone is gaping at our conversation, not understanding it of course but getting the fact the Black Widow had kissed my forehead and spoken her language with a schoolgirl.</p><p>Hawkeye nods ‘You know the rules then, powers, cheating, pranks, and weapons are allowed, first to knock out or incapacitate their opponent wins the match. And as you both know, No killing.’</p><p>For the next 7 minutes after Clint does the count down my thoughts mainly consist of ‘dodge, block, punch, duck, kick aww fuck that hurts’ but when Nat finally body slams me, I tap out immediately.</p><p>‘Giving up so easily Red, that’s new’ The spy laughs and give me a hand up </p><p>‘Просто подожди, пока мы начнем тренировку сегодня вечером, я позабочусь о тебе с помощью друга’ I smirk (Just wait until we start training tonight, I’ll take care of you with the help of a friend)</p><p>‘Ее зовут Рассвет’ Nat counters (is her name Dawn)</p><p>‘Of course,’ I reply in English</p><p>***</p><p>‘You really can’t resist showing off can you’ a deep voice call from behind. Thor is doing the ‘Asgardian lean’ as we call it hammer in hand, full armor on. The class swoons as a group and rushes off to him. The god enjoys the attention answering multiple questions about thunder and age and Asgard. I perk my ears at one.</p><p>‘Do you know PIris’s girlfriend?’ Izzie asks and the group quietens. Thor stammers slightly, I jump in.</p><p>‘Hey Uncle Thor-yes they know about Val, FRIDAY decided to announce it to the entire group at the beginning’ I walk over to him<br/>‘Oh, then yes, Val lives here as well while she’s in training and will take over as King in 7 years. I knew her family well and brought her here to train as an Avenger after she discovered her powers’ he swings his hammer from hand to hand as the group erupt with more questions</p><p>‘who can lift the hammer?’ someone calls over to him, the God grins, he loves answering this one. He drops it with a thud.<br/>‘go on’ he prompts ‘have a try’ everyone clammers around and he turns to me</p><p>‘an AI told your friends about Val?’ he questions so I tell him the story ‘ahhhh’ he replies ‘I told Stark AI was a bad idea, but did he listen. No’</p><p>‘does Stark ever listen?’ Nat says behind us walking through the gaggling schoolgirls and picking up Mejor easily, the girls gape<br/>‘you can only wield my hammer if you are worthy’ Thor explains</p><p>‘who in the avengers is worthy then’ JoJo asks eyeing Hawkeye who hasn’t moved to pick it up.</p><p>‘urm. Steve can, I don’t think Tony, but Val and Nat can’</p><p>‘Can you Uncle Clint?’ I ask as he glares back at my friends, and claps his hands at Nat.</p><p>‘give me’ he states, and she chucks it at him hard. He catches it and falters for a bit before raising it above his head</p><p>‘I am now ruler of Asgard bow down to me mighty Thor’ he yells laughing. Then winks quickly and lobs it at the gang of schoolgirls. They run screaming out the way before it hits them. But I catch it in one hand and swing it easily.</p><p>‘excuse me’ FRIDAYS voice rings out again and a few jump but most are used to the AI by now ‘Mr Stark says to meet  him at the elevator or you will not have enough time to see the living floor’ the others whisper, excited to meet The Mr Stark and I lob the hammer back to thor who catches it easily and give Nat a quick hug.</p><p>‘see you tonight’ I call as we make our way out of the room</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. The Field Trip Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Our favourite genius, billionaire ex-play boy, philanthropist, Spidey, Maria, Carol and Val</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mr Stark meets us at the elevator, Peter or spiderman is beside him in full suit and mask</p><p>‘oh, crap there’s loads of them’ I hear in my earpiece and grin, Val and I opened one transmitter to Peter recently so we can gossip privately about the others and plan epic pranks.</p><p>‘Underoos’ Tony calls out and the call gasp. He ushers us all into the lift while lamenting extravagantly</p><p>‘Good afternoon my name is Tony Stark, but you may know me as Iron Man, I brought and created this building and compound, and you will be touring it in a group accompanied by me. No not hand me things however feel free to ask questions-intelligent ones only though.’</p><p>With this the elevator pings</p><p>‘FRIDAY’ the billionaire continues not missing a beat ‘please warn those in the kitchen and lounge we are coming and to look, well, avenger-esque. Ah Red’ he adds, spotting me. I motion shooting myself at him. He raises an eyebrow and steps out onto the titled floor.</p><p>‘welcome to where the magic happens-or rather lives’</p><p>He leads the way through the first open corridor going to the lounge/kitchen first. He bursts open the door and Peter trails behind. Maria Hill, Cap and Carol Danvers are sitting on the sofa discussing the correct way to wear a cap-backwards or forwards but stop abruptly when we walk in.</p><p>‘Hey’ Carol states standing up and addressing the group ‘I’m Carol Danvers or Captain Marvel, this is Maria Hill who runs our part of SHEILD and you’ve met this Cap’ they state gesturing between them, Cap however seems to have had his share of teenage girls and retreats from the room</p><p>‘I gotta go sort some stuff with Banner and Shuri about my shield and vibrainium, nice to meet you girls’ he excuses himself politely and the everyone looks kind of sad until a pale grey cat pads into the room. A collective aww goes up and a few people crouch to the floor to stroke its fur</p><p>‘I didn’t know the avengers had a cat!’ one girl asks. Carol and Maria look like they might explode from laughter-they too have noticed the uniquely hazel eyes on the kitty.</p><p>‘we don’t’ I say pushing gently to the group I reach down and pick up the grey cat her fur is so soft and the white of ice streaked with the grey of steel. They look surprised</p><p>‘aww a stowaway’ one of them comments I laugh outright, and begin to tickle under the cats’ chin</p><p>‘of sorts’ I reply and the weight in my arm gains and Val switches back to human form, I laugh then turn bright red remembering they know about us and im now carrying the girl bridal style. I drop her on the floor.</p><p>‘guys meet Valkyrie’ I say gesturing to the shaking with laughter (still tracksuit clad) lump on the floor. I can practically hear their jaws hit the floor. Other than Thor’s hammer returning to him this is the only actual power they have seen today. I lightly kick her.</p><p>‘get up dude’ I laugh to and she clambers up</p><p>‘hey guys’ she smiles at the gang who are still collecting their wits ‘h…hey’ a few of them stammer. </p><p>Carol takes over ‘so we were planning on doing a bit of a Q and A then tour of our living areas and stuff?’ a few people nod, slightly star struck at being addressed by someone who can shoot gold glows from her fists.</p><p>‘I’ll take that as a yes then’ and the sofas move with the gold glow until they are laid in a line facing 3 armchairs. Val, Carol, and Maria take their seats and gesture for the others to sit opposite them. It reminds me of the press conference we attended in the aftermath of Ultron-masks hiding peter and I’s face as reporters nosed and camera’ flashed.</p><p>Carol gives me their signature side smirk as they spot me wafting around the back ‘hey Red’ </p><p>‘Hey Auntcle Carol’ I laugh back and drag a stool from the kitchen counter over, plopping onto the edge of the first row.<br/>Maria sits bolt upright like an Agent, carol sits like a normal human and Val sits sideways on the chair legs dangling over the edge like the raging lesbian she is.</p><p>‘right’ says Maria ‘who wants to begin’</p><p>Everyone whacks their hand up, I wince. Boy this is going to be a long session I think as I settle further into my chair. Maria picks JoJo first and she asks hesitantly</p><p>‘how did you all get your powers and join the avengers and things?’ Carol grins at her</p><p>‘good question, I got mine in a place crash, but kind of not because a super cool energy core exploded on me and I started to glow’ they eye me biting back a laugh ‘as did another avenger- Red Dawn, and then I joined the Kree force outside earth and crashed through a blockbuster in the 1990’s saved the world from an alien explosion and met Fury who introduced me to this nuthouse a couple of decades later, Val?’</p><p>‘huh’ Val obviously wasn’t listening ‘oh powers right’ she swings her legs round and sits like a normal human ‘I was always gunna be a Valkyrie from the moment I used my mum’s jade dragon fang sword as a toy, I didn’t find out about my shapeshifting until after The Fall; but, when I did Thor brought me here and I was put into a training programme with Spidey and Dawn, met Iris’ she grins at me <br/>‘got adopted by my very dysfunctional happy family, a robot war later and here I am. Maria you’re up’ she looks at the SHEILD agent</p><p>‘I’m not an enhanced, I work for Fury and basically run the Avengers side of SHEILD, like Val I meant to come for a few weeks but loved it, met Nat and here I am-way too far into this to get out now…’ She brunette jokes and Val waggles her eyebrows before Carol calls out the next person to ask a question-its Izzie, I grimace to myself</p><p>‘What do you mean the Fall’  <br/>Crap. A flicker of sadness crosses Val’s eyes and she locks them with mine and says slowly.</p><p>‘908 years ago, The Asgardian throne was under threat from The Goddess of Death, Hela. As Valkyrie we were sent to stop her. <br/>It was a massacre. I only survived because’ I wince, knowing she means Astrid, her eyes are clouded with tears, 900 years later and it still hurts like it was yesterday, I curse Izzie with my entire being but Val isn’t finished</p><p>‘I lost … everything, so Thor saved me and I had a purpose again, had a reason to live’ she finishes quietly shaking her head as if to get rid of the memory and tears ‘I was the last Valkyrie but I hope one-day our sisterhood will be re-founded, but for now, at least I’m doing good’</p><p>The room is silent for a few moments before the next questions are timidity asked, its 20 mins before another one is directed at Val</p><p>‘Can you change into any animal or just cats?’ she says in her whiny voice. She rises to the challenge<br/>‘name one’ Val shoot back grinning</p><p>‘ring tailed lima’ the girl replies quickly smirking, I wonder how long she’s been trying to think of an animal that might stump her. But Val is gone in the blink of an eye and in her face a Lima sit, ring tailed and hazel eyed, a crackling comes through on the ear bud I wear permanently now.</p><p>‘damn, long tails are a bitch’ I hear translated in my ear. I snort as the animal jumps to the floor and scampers up to the island, tripping on her tail to prove her point. I snort loudly and the group turns to me.</p><p>‘ear bud’ I explain hurriedly ‘I can understand what Val’s saying in animal language or whatever’ but Lima Val is gone, and a wolf is in its place with silver fur and sharp teeth. She growls menacingly and all I hear over my ear bud is a ruthless giggle. She flips back quickly and falls backwards onto the chair.</p><p>‘I can do all of them I’ve tried, even a Pegasus that really confused Magina’ she registers the confused look on everyone’s faces ‘Magina is my Pegasus, each Valkyrie is bonded with a foal when they are born and we grow as partners-it’s a tradition really, but yeah-fishes, birds, I do love a good eagle’ she finishes and I smile to myself remembering the night of the first appearance of Ulton and TK.</p><p>The next few are simple ones age (Val, 1,576, Maria 26 and Carol 71, but all superheroes age uber slowly because of increased metabolism) Asking Carol to show off her powers (she hovers for a bit then hits blasts out the window) and asking Maria how she got into her job (went into law enforcement and rose up through the ranks after a chance encounter with Fury) Then JoJo is picked and looks at me weirdly before asking</p><p>‘Do you know Iris and why did she call you Auntcle’ Carol raises an eyebrow at her</p><p>‘Well, Red here is a close friend of sorts and she calls me Auntcle or Unctie because I am non binary. Anyone else?’ the superhero explains simply and the questions continued the funniest is when Kashuf asks what Spiderman’s like</p><p>Carol narrows their eyes at her ‘that’s confidential information, but what do you mean’</p><p>The girl stammers slightly ‘well, I just meant if he’s you know...’ she trails off awkwardly, but I step up, feeling slightly sorry for her, she is obviously very intimidated by the Captain</p><p>‘they wanna know if he’s hot’ I explain to my honorary auntcle they laugh outright and even Val cracks a small, but Maria is the one who replies</p><p>‘you do realise you are speaking to two lesbians and a like, 70-year-old galaxy saver’ she laughs but continues after she sees the schoolgirl turn red</p><p>‘I’d say very cute and innocent kind of, he’s slightly weedy but steps up well and is always kind and and cracks a joke’ she states slowly as if thinking about it gravely. </p><p>‘how do you tell if each other are angry or annoyed, especially Ms Romanoff, because well I suppose you’d all like to avoid an angry avenger’</p><p>Maria laughs ‘We all have our tells, Tony locks himself in his lab with Spidey usually and the others punch the hell out of a bag in the training room, but only one person knows Natasha Romanoff’s tell and can notice it’ the agent finishes mysteriously, staring at me. The class whip their head around and look at me</p><p>‘urghh’ I roll my eyes ‘Nat’s is really obvious-her index finger twitches, I’m not sure why, I think it’s because that’s the trigger finger, but it’s quite difficult to notice but you can definitely tell she wants to strangle someone if it does move’</p><p>The last one is from Libby</p><p>‘how did you all meet and how do you stay together without arguing or breaking up or something’ Val sits like a normal human again-a sign she is going to answer this one</p><p>‘we all love each other really, you met through Mr Fury and Tony who created the Avengers group. Really, we all spilt kinda-Spidey, Dawn, Al, Iris, and I kinda gang up on the others or Iris runs off to yell vines at Shuri. The rest split into pairs based on ability for training. We do argue-like I said we are a dysfunctional happy family and all families argue-sure ours have shields and hammers and weird glowing beams sent from fists but we’ve never broken up really, I’m pretty sure we never will because Tony would threaten or bribe us into staying’</p><p>By 1:30 the questions are running out and FRIDAY speaks up</p><p>‘Mr Stark wishes for me to inform you that lunch is served in the cafeteria and the tour can commence after food’</p><p>A small cheer goes up and Carol laughs</p><p>‘I’ll take that as a goodbye, see you for the tour kids’ the class files out but Maria calls me back ‘Red, stay back a bit’ when the last student leaves, she laughs</p><p>‘I felt like a teacher calling you back for eating in class’ she one arm hugs me ‘how today going?’ she asks kindly</p><p>‘Urm’ I reply ‘an AI told all my class mates my 2nd biggest secrets, cap threatened my bully with a spoon in a paid envelope and Shuri yelled Tiny White Girl and squished me in front of everyone. I then got abused by my teacher and saved by my girlfriend’ <br/>Maria looks slightly sad, but it was obvious she knew about the last fact<br/>‘I wish I were Val so I could turn into a fly and get stomped on’ I yell as I run out the door after my group</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Comments, suggestion and kudos appreciated!<br/>have a great day, stay safe and well :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Invasion 1.0</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The trip takes a turn....</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The food is in the form of pizza-and a lot of it. Since we make food for each other now I was not even aware of the size of the compound cafeteria (I take mental not to talk to Tony about using it as maybe a homeless shelter in the winter-being empty, roofed, clean and heated) everyone digs in hungrily except me, I’m still dreading what’s to come around the tour. Suddenly I feel a buzz and my pager I keep on me at all times starts wailing. </p><p>Great. More attention. I run out quickly turning beetroot red as I answer the page</p><p>‘what the hell guys?’ I yell into my comms unit-we keep one on us at all times, mostly for times like these</p><p>‘we have a code 1-23-893-23’ I hear tony voice recite in my ear ‘everyone kit up-we are going to need all of you, who’s there?’</p><p>‘Widow’ Nat calls through the unit</p><p>‘Hawkeye’</p><p>‘Thor’</p><p>‘Spiderparker, I mean Peterman… im here guys’</p><p>‘every flipping time I get a moment of rest-Valkyrie in’ her voice comes annoyed through my ear</p><p>‘Red Dawn’ I recite looking round to check no one heard</p><p>‘Cap’ Steve’s voice comes but Carol interrupts</p><p>‘I’m Cap dude-you’re Capsile’ I laugh to myself as they carry on arguing in my ear</p><p>‘I’ll get suited-Nat please may you help me evacuate my stupid classmates from the building’ I say, then turn off my mic</p><p>‘already here мой рассвет’ a voice behind me says ‘get changed, usually you kids wouldn’t be used but we have an emergency’ Widow is behind me carrying-somehow- even more guns than when I last saw her</p><p>‘do the suity hair cool thing Red, we gotta go’ she isn’t smirking now, but running down the corridor to the café. I run my fingers through my hair and feel my suit hold me tight I smile as I reach int my Dawn Diary and pull out the piece of cloth. Throwing it to my face I feel my vibrainium mask attach onto my face. My vision alters as the scanners focus and hear the reassuring voice of INES in my ear. I call out to Nat.</p><p>‘What does code 1-2 whatever mean again’ I ask as we reach the doors. Before walking in she turns to me</p><p>‘remember, you know none of these people Al is a stranger’ she reminds me gravely ‘1 is the location, 23 is the type of attack and time until attack  893 is species 23 is alert level’ she explains. I look moodily at her and she exaggerates</p><p>‘we are being attacked from above by the roof by aliens who will arrive in 7 minutes. Extremally high alert level as public involved’ and she kicks open the door. Everyone is murmuring, looking around as an alarm wails in the distance. Widow takes over.</p><p>‘hey guys, we are currently under attack, this is Dawn as I’m sure you know. We will be getting you out of here’ The class silences instantly. But Mrs Scott speaks up</p><p>‘you’re a ex-Russian spy assassin, why should we trust you’ </p><p>I see a flicker in Nat’s cool exposure, she seems at a loss for words. I allow my dawn to seem out of me and hear INES in my ear<br/>‘Hey Red, how are you?’ I ignore my AI and look at Mrs Scott coldly (or at least I hope she realises i am because my mask covers my eyes and face so…)</p><p>‘because we are your best chance at getting you out of here alive’ I state and then talk into my com’s unit</p><p>‘we have the kids; were shall we take them for evacuation’ the line is silent for a moment before Cap M’s voice rings through<br/>‘get them to landing zone 2, we have unwelcome guests expected on 1 so assemble as soon as they are cleared onto the Quinjets, we are sending down re-enforcements now’</p><p>I try to hide my grin as I hear a whinnying behind me. A huge white horse is nudging me, wings folded gently to her sides and hazel eyes sparkling.</p><p>‘We need to get up to Landing Zone two where you will be evacuated to a safe space via Quin jet, keep calm and stay close behind.’ I order the terrified girls, Alex stares open mouthed but agrees along with the rest, even Izzie follows meekly as we make our way out of the café and into the halls</p><p>‘INES, I state, give me an ETA to our visitors, is everyone on the roof’ I ask the AI and the robotic voice replies instantaneously<br/>‘6 minutes until expected landing, all avengers except Valkyrie and Natasha are on landing zone 1 preparing’ </p><p>‘thank you’ I reply then turn to the Pegasus</p><p>‘seriously Val showing off now?’ I question and she opens and closes her wings a little, as if shrugging</p><p>‘had to give your mates a little how I was worthy of you’ she laughs in my ear</p><p>‘girls’ comes Tony’s quick response ‘less flirting and more saving lives please’</p><p>I laugh and reply, ‘relax Tony, some of us can multitask’ and I turn to Widow</p><p>‘im looking ahead to clear the scanners for I direct route’ and with that I fly off, feeling the joy spread throughout my body as my dawn is realised. </p><p>I zap along the corridors and up two flights of stairs, luckily, we were already quite high in the tower when the warning came. Two big quinjets are waiting, outside stands Maria Hill and one other pilot I recognize vaguely</p><p>Hill explain the situation easily and I meet the group coming up the stairs on my way to report back to Widow. I repeat what hill’s told me and her expression deepens, as we reach the roof however she turns and commands the large group.</p><p>‘as you are aware, we are under attack, most defiantly by threatening aliens coming from above. We are going to evacuate you via the quinjets you can see there’ she points at the two planes ‘Val, dawn and I will cover if anything comes your way as out guests are arriving any minute-just get to the jet as quickly as possible’ she orders and the class nods gravely, a few look like they could fait or cry but as I hover off the ground I send a look to Al, she is in the mid of the pack and I make a vow to myself to protect her at all costs.</p><p>Suddenly there is a crackle over comms and Cap (Americas) voice comes into my ear</p><p>‘guys we got incoming get the kids to the ship ASAP’ Nat and I look at each other then the group</p><p>‘go, go, go’ the spy urges, running out from the shelter of the building and sprinting towards the jets, my class follow but Mrs Scott falls behind-literally-tripping over her heels and falling to the ground. </p><p>‘Val’ I call out to the Pegasus ‘a little help’ I run over to my struggling teacher. And offer her my arm, Val trots up and I lean the teacher against the horse, taking the other side as she hobbles towards the planes. All students are on board but as we reach the halfway point you can begin to see the outlines of the intruder’s ship in the sky. I chuck the teacher on my girlfriends back and she takes off across the concrete skidding to a halt outside the ship, dumping her on the ground by the door to the ship.</p><p>Suddenly the sound of guns fills the air, INES calls out to my ear. </p><p>‘They’re headed this way-to zone 2 not 1’ she states the obvious as the guns drown out the screams of the huddled schoolgirls.<br/>BANG a ship explodes as it is hit with a blast and INES voice comes through again</p><p>‘the Avengers are trying to come over but only Tony can-the gap is too big’ </p><p>Of course, I think to myself the two-landing zoned are separated by a wide gap to try and isolate a problem is it comes-but it is doing the opposite.</p><p>‘Val’ I yell over to the Pegasus and she immediately takes off and she and Tony re appear a few seconds later, Thor on Val’s back and tony carrying spiderman, after a few trips all the Avengers stand tall in front of the jet, protecting the students who are now stranded after the engines in the second jet are shot out. The battle rages. </p><p>Val circles, flipping between Pegasus when one of us needs a lift and eagle to attack the alien creatures now streaming from the landed ship. They are steeled grey coloured with no noses to speak of and tiny eyes with no irises, they carry standard grade weapons but the large guns on the ships are torn to pieces by Carol’s powers as she flies straight through the metal of the ship.</p><p>We split up like always, Black Widow and Hawkeye defending the ship and it’s feebling but flabbergasted inhabitants. Thor and Cap A work their way slowly through the crowd leaving a trail of dead aliens in their wake, Cap M and Iron man work separately eliminating more of the aliens that just keep pouring from the ship. <br/>Val, Peter, and I team up, taking on a wave at a time, me reaching out through dawn ripping apart their guns and flying off the roof to prevent the invasion from spreading. Peter webbing them up for Val (now in human form) to drive her Dragon fan through them.</p><p>After 20 minutes of solid fighting (and bantering over comms in some of our cases) the press have started to appear, helicopter circling as we fight and tackle the now diminishing numbers of aliens, the army arrives to evacuate the school children and takes a small group at a time but disaster strikes when there are only 3 people left-Al, Izzie and Mrs Scott- Tony has shot off with Thor to attempt to control security and press who are attempting to land on the roof. Widow, Hawkeye, and Marvel are tying up the remaining aliens and leading them off to questioning. </p><p>Then my world falls apart.</p><p>An alien Cap Marvel had photon blasted staggers to him feet aiming a power gun straight at the 3 remaining civilians<br/>‘NO’ I yell leaping to block the blow, but someone gets there first.<br/>A volley of place silver feather bursts in front of my eyes, shrill squeal cuts through the air breaking my heart, as the breath-taking winged creature flies back from the blast. Val’s Pegasus hits the floor 10 metres away from me and at once transforms to the girl. </p><p>I can vaguely hear the click of cameras and brightness of flashes as the reporters deem it safe to land on the roof- I ignore them running over and skid to the floor beside the unmoving Val, gently lifting her head onto my lap. </p><p>She lies peacefully on her back, eyes closed, and silky brown hair spread around her like a pool, the white chains she painstakingly paints cross her eyes for battle are smudged and unclear. <br/>Silver and lilac armour is stained with blood, of the aliens and hers, coming from the burn like mark spanning her stomach. Grey-sliver substance is seeping into the wound. I reach into my Dawn Diary and pull out the blanket I keep there for emergencies, tears run down my check as I attempt to soak up the substance.</p><p>‘Please stay back’ Nat is over here in a flash, pushing back the reporters with ease, but they press on ‘We have no comments at the moment, please leave her at peace’ the redhead tries valiantly to keep them at bay but I cut out all noise and only focus on Val.<br/>I whisper into my mask </p><p>‘INES read vitals’</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>comments, kudos and suggestions apprectiated!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Aftermath</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I whisper into my mask </p><p>‘INES read vitals’</p><p>The AI responds quickly ‘heartbeat detected Boss-she will survive, no blood loss threat however a hospital environment would be recommended’</p><p>‘thank you’ I choke, the reporters have reached beside us now, but I only have eyes for Val, I press my hand to her neck feeling for the pulse</p><p>‘Val, Cariad it’s me, it’s okay you’re safe’ I whisper ‘It’s okay love we won, you did it’ her eyes flicker for a moment then I’m drowning in her hazel irises</p><p>‘Iris’ she says breathlessly then rips off my mask and kisses me full on the lips. I drown out the roar of the reporters as my pink hair falls in her face-blocking 2 classmates who I’d forgot where there a view of my face. Val breaks off after a few seconds.</p><p>‘well well well’ she smirks, but tears are making their way slowly down her cheeks ‘seems you owe me a bullet’ I laugh and hold her hand tightly</p><p>‘Red’ she whispers softly ‘I think I love you’ she words break my heart and mend it with vibrainium</p><p>‘Brunhilde Valkyrie’ I softly reply ‘I know I love you’</p><p>The reporters are pressing closer and Nat is struggling to keep them from breaking this moment</p><p>‘I thought I lost you’ I whispered into her hair, pulling her to her feet and hugging her tight, never wanting to let go but our thoughts are cut of by a sentence that makes the reporters silent for once.</p><p>‘you’re cheating on Iris?’ Izzie is standing unsteadily, pointing directly at Val. </p><p>I swear too myself quietly and whisper into my comms</p><p>‘Nat, I think I should come out’ the Russian spy laughs back in my ear ‘мой рассвет you just kissed your girlfriend in front of half the press in the city’</p><p>‘no’ I reply ‘show my identity, show Izzie who I am’</p><p>This time it’s Starks voice that reassures them ‘Go gettem kid-show em who you really are’ and Cap M backs him up ‘yeh, if anyone messes with you at school they have your aunts and uncles to deal with’</p><p>I laugh and flick back my hair-showing my full face to Izzie ‘she’s not’ Mrs Scott faints, the press goes wild.</p><p>I lace my fingers into Val and push through the crowd of reporters supporting my girlfriend as she shakily presses her hand to her wound.</p><p>All around us the press is suffocating us, but I push through the microphones and cameras and bodies, supporting Val as best I can while all the time repeating ‘no comment no comment no comment’</p><p>‘Tiny White Girl.’ A voice cuts through the crowd and the reporters part quickly; Princess Shuri looks at me</p><p>‘you definitely like drama Red’ she states looking me up and down, then Val ‘Jesus Val, get to my lab quickly’ she supports the frail girl on the other side and we walk through the reporters, they yell questions as we part ‘how long has your identity been secret?’ ‘how do you feel about being the first LGBTQ couple in the Avengers?’ I hear this one right in my ear and look to were Nat is trailing behind us, limping slightly she shakes her head a little. </p><p>‘no comment’ I just repeat and repeat more until we reach the safety of the building, the reporters crowd around the door but a hover stretcher is waiting, I help Val onto it and it whisks her away.</p><p>I lean against the wall, my emotions catch up with me, I sink slowly down the wall and crouch, my breath catching in my throat choking me as I bury my head in my arms but can’t breathe icy fingers reach at my throat and I gasp for air, panicking quickly, I have to be there, be there for my new family, for Val. I choke and gasp into my torn suit, felling it is too tight around the neck, strangling me.</p><p>Nat is at once behind me</p><p>‘hey, hey’ she whispers tilting my chin and making me look into her eyes ‘it’s going to be okay, Val is safe and we are all okay, it’s going to be okay’ she hugs me tightly then adds ‘FRIDAY block all view of us from the press’ at once the glass blacks out and we are shut away from the public eye.</p><p>Suddenly I cant breathe the air around me is too strong, too heacy, too suffocating. I am gasoing, drowning under the mass of sounds and sights and blood.</p><p>Nat looks at me knowing I’m going into a Panic attack.</p><p>‘Look at me Red, look at me’ I struggle to reach her eyes, trying to keep my head between my knees where the thud of my puse can hypnotize me</p><p>‘It’s okay, just breathe, can you name four things you can see for me’ she looks at me and I struggle to reply</p><p>‘y…ou, the… the floor, the glass windows.. and your…your gun’ I stammer out, whispering slowly as my brething finally begins to calm</p><p>‘Good, well done, now three things you can feel?’ she carries on, putting her arm around me gently</p><p>‘red..hair.. your hair is tickling me…’ I laugh slightly, still biting back my tears</p><p>‘yes’ she replies ‘what else’</p><p>‘my…leggings and…Alien blood on me’ </p><p>‘yes, last one okay?’ I nod</p><p>‘Three things you can smell?’</p><p>‘more blood’ I cry a bit more ‘s..smoke from the guns and…and coconut’</p><p>‘yes’ the spy laughs ‘that’s my shampoo’ I giggle a bit but then remember the situation and start to cry again</p><p>‘Its okay мой рассвет just let it out, you can smile later about aving the world. Cry now, its okay, you are safe’</p><p>We say like that for ages, Nat stroking my hair and whispering Russian into my tears.</p><p>***</p><p>I open my eyes to a hazy glow, realising I’m in my bed I immediately push back the covers and struggle to my feet, checking the time 4:17. </p><p>Val.</p><p>The events rush back to me and I stagger down to the corridor calling out to FRIDAY as I do</p><p>‘Hey FRI where is Val, where is she?’ I call out and the AI responds</p><p>‘Red, you should not be here now, you are still extremally unstable. Valkyrie is in Princess Shuri’s lab, she is stable and conscious’<br/>‘no’ I reply ‘I’ve got to go; I’ve got to see her’</p><p>‘Wow’ a voice speaks behind me ‘loyal girlfriend much’ </p><p>‘Unctie Carol’ I cry and collapse onto the figure</p><p>‘come on kid’ they pulls me off the ground ‘let’s take a short cut’ and with that they power through the corridors blasting through several walls before we arrive at the lab. Shuri runs up to me at once</p><p>‘Red, what are you doing here?’ she asks coming up and leading me to a chair</p><p>‘I had to see Val and the others, are they okay’ The Princess raises an eyebrow at me</p><p>‘did you seriously just ask Shuri princess of Wakanda and tech genius if she could save a girl from a gun wound?’ she leads me through another door into a bright white sterile room. Val is sitting up in a bed in the centre, an IV looking this strapped to her stomach, greeny grey liquid squiring around inside the bag hanging next to her. Shuri recognizes my shocked look.</p><p>‘relax dude that is what the gun shots, we are draining it out of her’ I sway on my feet processing the information. Shuri carries on</p><p>‘Stark and both the Caps are okay, Widow didn’t get hit but is slightly shaken, Hawkeye and Thor got hit, but nowhere near as bad as Val and Peter is stressing for apparently no reason… he’s just…Peter. You have a press conference at 10 am tomorrow and I’ve ordered everyone-including Stark, the god and all the other Avengers to sleep, if they don’t then they are taking the natural sleep remedy. The conference will be big-especially for you guys’ she nods at me and Val </p><p>‘I knew you’d come to see her, all of you are down this corridor-I’ve put you in special rooms so say bye and im taking you to sleep’</p><p>I wrap my head around what she’s saying slowly and walk over to Val’s bed to say goodbye. I reach down and stroke back her hair and kiss her forehead</p><p>‘see you for hell tomorrow Cariad’ I whisper then walk out of the room. My room is identical to Val’s and I can feel my eyelids drooping as soon I flop onto the bed</p><p>‘pj’s are under the pillow, sleep well’ Shuri says softly leaving the rom but I call her back</p><p>‘Thank you Shuri, thank you so much’ I say with sincerity looking the girl straight in the eye</p><p>‘anything for my Awesome Lesbian Sisters TM’ she smiles and leaves quietly</p><p>***</p><p>I am woken up at 9 my FRIDAY gently calling out to me </p><p>‘Good morning Red, you are well rested and both yours and Val’s vitals are perfect. Shuri is telling you and I quote to ‘wake up tiny white girl, I have picked out some clothes for you so get changed, breakfast is in the kitchen, Al, Val and the others will be there too’’</p><p>I grin to myself, and swing myself out of my bed, feeling so much better than yesterday. I look through the clothes Shuri has picked out for me, there is an fasionably oversized suit and black vest top, simple dress, and jeans a t-shirt and leather jacket. </p><p>I pick out the suit and black top, having a quick shower in the un-suite I’ve discovered and get dressed quickly, re-reddening my hair with a deep breath.</p><p>Walking into the kitchen I am hugged three times my Carol, Nat, and Bruce. We all have little breakfast, somehow even Cap A not eating much. Finally, FRIDAY announces 9:55 and we file out the room. Tony turns to us all outside the room. </p><p>‘Red, Val remember you don’t have to answer anything you don’t want to, just say no comment and if they don’t take that for an answer than make them. If you can’t answer a question with proper fact-get one of us to take over, and, if you feel overwhelmed. Just say so-you can leave anytime.’</p><p>Val and I nod, and we walk into the room, Hawkeye sits at one end of the long table, followed by Thor, Cap America, Tony in the centre, then Nat, Me, Val, and Carol. Not in a men-women split I notice but placing us both next to the people we feel most comfortable with- and our mentors.</p><p>The room explodes until Tony taps that mic in front of him a bit. Val looks at me and smiles.</p><p>‘welcome to hell’ she mouths and we begin</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. The Press Conference</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>we hate news reporters. <br/>thank you for coming to my TED talk.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The first couple are aimed at Carol, Tony and Cap as ‘leaders’ of the team about how the threat happened and why we handled it as we did, they all answer calmy and measuring. But it’s not until the fifth question one is aimed my way. Tony selects a tall wiry gently man and he turns to face Val and me. I feel like casting a soundproof dome and screaming.</p><p>‘Miss Dawn, please may you give us your view on what happened yesterday-especially during the end of the attack’ he questions looking at me expectantly. I take a deep breath, count to 3 in my head and reply calmly</p><p>‘I attend Williamson school, in the class that came for a trip yesterday so you spent the morning going to the museum and around the tower then my pager went off when we were in the café’ I am cut off by the reporter asking quickly</p><p>‘and how did you react to the pager’ I carry on again checking my words as I go</p><p>‘I ran straight out of the room and got straight onto our communications unit, I knew it must be an emergency as Spiderman, Val and I have only just got out of training so we aren’t used too much. Mr Stark told you the problem, Nat and Val arrived and we tried to get the people on the jets, but as we did the engines were shot out so we had to fight’ I finish slowly but the reporter carries on</p><p>‘Then what?’ he questions, Nat looks like she could strangle him with her bare hands (she could very easily though)</p><p>‘well Val got shot so I run over to help and… end up coming out to the world on national TV and showing my identity to pretty much everyone.’ I laugh slightly and the reporter finally looks satisfied. But the next targets both of us</p><p>‘As the youngest avengers do you ever feel you have been ripped from your family and friends to have a strenuous job like this at an age you should be out with your friends and ‘living your life’’</p><p>Val leans in slightly to her mic</p><p>‘I personally would call fighting off an alien invasion, being shot and having to have green goop sucked out of you living life’ a few people laugh, and Val sits back, motioning me to answer properly</p><p>‘I don’t personally feel I have been ripped from my family especially, I don’t have any siblings except a sister in uni so I wouldn’t see her anyway and in a way we are our own family’ I look around at the others who are smiling ‘We live together train together, eat together laugh together, so in a way we are just an adopted family. And as for having to do a strenuous job, I think we-especially Val, Peter and I could have said no. But we chose to try and help.</p><p>As for friends, I’d say Val, Peter and Al are better than I could have had the luck to have anywhere else, we always have each other’s back, especially in a fight’ </p><p>Tony nods and carries on my point and I zone out again, dreading the time someone would ask about Val and I’s relationship, which comes near the end of the conference. A short dumpy lady puts her hand up just as the questions begin to run out and Tony picks her</p><p>‘Valkyrie and Miss Dawn, what do you have to say about yourselves and your relationship’ Nat looks slightly shocked at the directness and mouth to me ‘you don’t have to say anything’ but I do or rumours might spread and break apart the avengers. I look at Val and she nods slightly.</p><p>‘Val and I met in training and have been together for about or 7-ish months since the night Ultron stole the sceptre, we-’<br/>But I am cut off my Tony who is looking at his watch</p><p>‘That means yesterday was your 7-month anniversary kids’ he says clapping and a few people in the crowd aww</p><p>Val continues ‘We’ve been together since, I live here full time and so does Red pretty much, so we see each other often’ she grasps my hand under the table, but another reporter noesis</p><p>‘how would you say it’s going then, bearing everything in mind’ Nat glares at him but Val laughs</p><p>‘I mean she came to find me after a 7-minute sleep with vitals all-over the place and almost no pulse, so I’d say good’</p><p>I nod in agreement looking my girlfriend straight in the eye ‘we’re very good’</p><p>***</p><p>‘The news is loving you guys, Val and Red’ FRIDAY announces ‘almost 27 articles are now on the web containing you’</p><p>We are all slumped on the sofa having ordered takeout and finished taking the mic out of all the different reporters, the news articles are finally starting to stream out and we all have our Stark Laptops out reading as many as we can process and reporting to Stark if any are out of line or need to be taken down) thankfully none so far however FRIDAY guessed only 8% of the coverage coming had been released yet.</p><p>Val laughs and shoots me a look ‘We’re famous honey’ she exclaims</p><p>‘would you like me to read out the most viewed one-it has had over 1.4 million hits so far’ FRI continues, and we all agree so the AI starts reading.</p><p>‘In a press conference this afternoon Avengers Red Dawn and Brunhilde Valkyrie came out after their relationship was revealed to the public after the battle against an intergalactic force on the roof of the well-known Avengers/Stark Tower.<br/>Miss Valkyrie and Dawn have released a few quotes and state that their relationship is going ‘very good’. It has been confirmed by Mr Stark the two met on a training program and have been together 7 months. But ow does this effect the way the public view Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and will Valkyrie and Dawn become icons of the LGBTQ+ community?’</p><p>‘Stop thanks FRI’ I say ‘Wow’ I turn to look at Val and wiggle my eyebrows</p><p>‘wanna start a joint public Instagram?’ the gang laughs, and Val whips out her phone.</p><p>Within minutes we are logged on and gaining followers rapidly. Funnily enough we also manage to convince Nat to join as well and although we had to talk her out of multiple weirdly spooky comments, she also gained popularity quickly.</p><p>After we order Pizza to avoid the crowds of reporters outside the doors (‘they’ll be gone by morning мой рассвет don’t worry about school, we’ve got it covered’) Val stand up and grabs the attention of the group</p><p>‘Urm, I’d also like to say something, whilst we are all here that is’ Val says slowly and turns to face me. Keeping her eyes locked in mine she reaches slowly over her back and unstraps her Dragon Fang sword</p><p>‘This is yours’ she smiles sadly, pushing the ornate case into my hand, I gasp</p><p>‘But Val, this is yours, I couldn’t possibly, what will you use’ </p><p>With this my girlfriend pushes herself of the sofa and walks down the corridor, returning quickly with a matching case, however this one is flecked with gold, a time honoured tradition that Odin blesses the sword of the most noble warrior in the battle</p><p>‘It’s Astrid’s isn’t it’ I weep softly as Val places it in her lap and continues, taking my hand</p><p>‘Red, this is yours, it was mine but you deserve it, Valkyrie are known to pass on their Swords to those they love, so you deserve this’ I try to give her sword back but she pushes it back into her lap</p><p>‘I’ve spent so long trying to forget my past, to ignore losing everyone I loved, but you’ve helped me realise I don’t need to forget them I just need to recognize that they would still love me not matter is I moved on. So, will you become the second Valkyrie in the Galaxy and vow to fight by my side through all the battles we face’</p><p>‘Yes’ I say quickly ‘yes, yes, yes it would be the greatest honour’ tears are coming thick and fast now but Val nods</p><p>‘You have my sword Elskan, I have ... I have Astrid’s, I think she would have wanted me to use it, to fight to make the world a better place’ </p><p>‘of course, Cariad, of course she would. And she would love you and will always love you no matter what’</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Handcuffs</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>TW: mentions of the Red Room so warning for abuse</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The room is laid with blood, blood, and bodies. The aliens are soaring off the roof and I can hear the screams of the pedestrians below and the sound of guns and fire and blasts, but a weak voice is calling me</p><p>‘Red, you could have saved us’ I turn and see Natasha, lying in a heap on the floor, blood seeping from a giant wound in her side<br/>‘I trusted you, I thought you were better than this, I thought you we'-but her eyes glass over and she falls back</p><p>Dead. I look around at the fallen team. All dead because of me. But im searching, scanning for one person, one body I both hope and dread to see. Val.</p><p>‘Help Elskan’ a cry cuts through the air and I spin, trying to light up my dawn, but it is gone, vanished, I’ve failed my power too.<br/>Val is being held up by her hair, an alien is pressing a gun to her temple and her screams smash my soul. Her hair is loose, her armour stained but she looks to me for support, which I cannot give her. I have failed.</p><p>‘You left us Red’ she sobs ‘You abandoned us when we needed you and look at what you have caused’ she screams at me. Tears are pouring down my cheeks, but I can’t move towards her, my feet are bolted to the floor. </p><p>She looks deep into my eyes and reached behind her, smiling sadly</p><p>‘I loved you’ and in a quick movement her dragon fang flashes, and she topples backwards. I don’t even get to see her body hit the pavement.</p><p>I wake with a gasp to FRIDAY’s Irish lilt</p><p>‘Its okay Red, you are safe and everyone else is healthy and happy. Would you like me to initiate protocol Shakespeare in the Park?’<br/>I resister the sweat on my brow and the way my sheets have tangled and entrapped my legs</p><p>Just a dream, everyone is safe</p><p>‘No thanks FRI, I think I just need some water’ I say, slowing getting up and traipsing to the door, unsurprisingly (it I 2 am) the kitchen is deserted and I sit on the counter top as I gulp down the cold water and try to lower my pulse.</p><p>On the way back I sneak into Val’s room, she is sleeping peacefully, I shouldn’t disturb her I recon an continue down the corridor still withing for a hug and some kind words. I wander around outside my door for a bit until a soft voice floats through the door</p><p>‘Are you going to carry on pacing outside мой ребенок or are you going to come in and tell me what’s the matter?’ I wince. Of course, Nat would know I was here. I push open the door slowly</p><p>‘Hey’ I whisper sticking my head around the door. Nat is sitting up in bed and as I pad in and pats the bed next to her giving me a small smile</p><p>‘Hey’ her right arm is pinned behind her in something I only notice when I lie down on the bed next to her.</p><p>Oh my god handcuffs Nat.</p><p>Sharp, uncomfortable steel handcuffs are attached to the bed posts. Nat’s always had scars on her wrists, thin welts cutting through her pale skin, but we always thought it was from a fight, not something she did to herself.</p><p>The spy registers the flicker in my expression and reaches over. After a few second fiddling she is free and puts both arms around me. I don’t realise the tears rolling down my cheek after a few seconds I build up the courage to speak</p><p>‘Why Nat’ I sob ‘why hurt yourself like that, it never turns out well’ </p><p>She doesn’t ask me how I know but her eyes flick to the Criss cross slashes on my bicep</p><p>‘You can tell me anything Nat, but please just tell me. If never helps and I just wish someone had told me to talk to them’ I beg and after a moment’s careful consideration speaks softly, staring into space with an expression of pure hurt in her eyes</p><p>‘In The Red Room, where I grew up, where I was trained, we were chained to our beds every night. The ones that struggled were gone in the morning. It was so that we learnt not to let the nightmare bother us. The nightmares of the people we hurt or even killed sometimes just in training’ Her American accent is gone, shed like a coat and she speaks huskily, Russian biting at her words. I hug her gently and we curl into one another as she continues</p><p>‘In the Red Room I was good; I was the best. It’s the only time in my life I’ve been the best at something. So, I worked hard. Or I worked harder. So now the handcuffs are my coping mechanism. The Red Room was hell on earth. The things they made us do. The things they did to us were unimaginable, but purpose kept me going and so did resisting the handcuffs. They remind me of times I had a schedule, I knew what was coming, when I didn’t have a past I didn’t have a list of enemy or innocent people I’ve killed waiting to sneak up on me.<br/>I can never have a real life, I can never leave this behind me, I can never have a family, or have children I can never be a mother. I would give my life to have no past, to have a clean slate. I would do anything to have someone to love, to protect someone to call my own’ she sobs</p><p>I know what I have to do. I reach down slowly and pick up her left hand. Then I loosely loop my fingers around her wrist, joining my thump and index finder around the scars, becoming her human handcuffs. She tries to pull away, but I told her tight. After a few seconds sitting in silence the woman so strong on the outside lets me in.</p><p>‘I used to have nothing. Then I got this, this job, this family. And I am better because of it, I think. But now all I can think about is how far I could fall if someone cuts the string. I don’t have a third chance; I have to go back to being the best’</p><p>I say nothing-nothing needs to be said, but loop my right fingers around her right, interlocking us so my fingers are both her handcuffs</p><p>‘You don’t need a third chance Natasha. You are acing your second chance. We all love you and you are valued.’ I reply slowly settling into the shaking figure</p><p>‘Thank you Red’ she whispers, and she holds me tight, our tears mixing together as we draw strength from the spirits, we have hurt ourselves.</p><p>Later that night I use my dawn to break and melt the metal of the steel traps. I know what I am doing to do with it.</p><p>***<br/>Nat</p><p>Iris didn’t relise I was awake when she left. In the Red Room they trained us to slow our heart rate to seem like we were sleeping-or even unconscious. They used to fire guns beside our heads to teach us not to flinch. Once Madam aimed wrong and the bullet went straight through the girls skull. She was 8.</p><p>I think back to what Iris said</p><p>‘we all love you and you are valued’</p><p>No, I don’t care I thinks to myself</p><p>I don’t care, I’m the Black Widow. No, I don’t feel like crying at this moment, I’m the Black Widow. I don’t laugh or cry at a stupid comment given by a lost teen, I am the black Widow.</p><p>I am the Black Widows, and Black Widows don’t laugh or cry.</p><p>But in this moment I’m just Nat. Just Natasha. And nothing but my past is stopping me from letting a single tear drop onto my pillowcase and my mouth curling into a motherly smile </p><p>Natasha did not regret opening up, but she hated it all the same</p><p>***</p><p>The next morning, I arrive in the kitchen to a normal sight. Peter sitting on the ceiling eating cereal, Nat making fried eggs at the stove and Clint sitting on top of a crushed table, the vent above him open and bent out of shape.</p><p>‘no gunna ask’ I announce, catching Nat’s eye and smiling a bit.</p><p>‘No bad news articles this morning мой ребенок’ she says placing a plate in front of me ‘everyone loves you’ she finishes shovelling food into her mouth</p><p>‘I’m going to spend the day in the lab, I think Shuri’s coming tomorrow so I want to have a few things ready for her when she comes’ I explain eating more slowly ‘And I’m preparing a surprise too’ I waggle my eyebrows, hoping no one asks. Thank fully they don’t and I’m in the lift before anyone can stop me.</p><p>‘Hey Red’ a few interns greet me as I wander into the labs and make my way over to my private space</p><p>The next couple of hours are spent in deep concentration as I hammer, melt, etch and swear (in Russian thanks to Nat, Norse thanks to Val, Sign language thanks to Clint and English thanks to Tony) as fiery flecks hit me while I work. At last I hold up the finished article.</p><p>Quite the transformation. I twist it into my hands and go to find Nat. She is in the training room punching a bag with strong fast blows. I manage to get within a foot of her before she stops and turns around.</p><p>‘I know my lessons are good, but I don’t think you will ever be able to sneak up on me мой ребенок’ she smiles, motioning me to sit next to her on the bench</p><p>‘Well, letting you hear me wasn’t the only reason I came’ I explain, handing the thing over and closing her fingers around it<br/>‘I made this for you’ I state simply, and she slowly looks into her hand.</p><p>It a simple flat piece of metal, the edges still slightly rough but the sides soft and shiny, words are engraved in either side. On the top ‘You are loved’ is etched into the metal and surrounded with a circle of symbols; flame like vines for me, a sword for Val, a Shield for Cap, and arrow for Clint, a web for peter, a hammer for Thor, a scientific breaker for Bruce and a simplified silhouette of Starks heart. </p><p>The spy is speechless and then she turns it over and the tears flow freely</p><p>‘Oh Red’ she exclaims</p><p>On the back are the simple words ‘you are the best at second chances’</p><p>‘The handcuffs?’ she questions, candling the necklace in her hand but knows the answer already</p><p>‘May I have the honours’ I ask jokingly, and she nods noiselessly so I gently lift her hair and put on the neck lace. As soon as I am done, she spins around and hugs me tight, still crying.</p><p>***</p><p>I wake to the sound of screaming. Nat.</p><p>I don’t bother pacing or creeping, I walk straight in and curl on the bed beside the now silent but still squirming woman. I gently reach out and gently pick up her hands, her body twitches more and she whispers Russian.</p><p>‘Помогите не делай мне больно пожалуйста, не делайте мне больно я не сделал ничего плохого’</p><p>Then something that make my blood run cold ‘не режь меня’</p><p>I loop my thumb and forefinger around her wrist and gently hug her to my chest she stills almost immediately. I keep my fingers looped around her wrist for another hour or so, until I wake up again and remember school tomorrow. <br/>School. For the first time since The Kiss, The Press Conference and The Reveal. Suddenly I feel like screaming</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Prompts, comments, kudos apprectiated</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. School</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I dress slowly, making sure I’m wearing the most invisible clothes ever. As I walk into the kitchen Natasha comes up and hugs me. I notice the silver chain slipping below her shirt.</p><p>‘It’ll be fine мой ребенок school has your parent’s numbers and you have ours in case you need to leave. And I’ll be driving you if that’s okay, we think there might be some reporters, more than usual because of the identity thing not just the fight’ I nod</p><p>‘Thanks тетя нат, I’d love you to take me’ Smiling sadly I accept the plate and half an hour later we are whizzing to school in Nat’s blacked out sports car. As we pull in the gate, I catch sight of the reporters, there are about 4 different presses with interviewers and even 2 cameras. I wince as our car draws to a stop and Nat turns around</p><p>‘Got your homework?’ she asks smirking</p><p>‘ha-ha’ I reply sarcastically ‘let’s get this over with’</p><p>We push open the doors and the throng advances at once, a small figure elbows her way to the front however and I reach out and hug her quickly</p><p>‘Hey Al’ I whisper as she takes up her place on my left, Nat on my right. We push through the courtyard and questions are yelled our way. It’s surprising how much noise a few nosy people can make. I whisper to Nat then turn to the clamoring reporters</p><p>‘I will take 5 questions then please may you leave me alone, I have an English test today to revise for’ at once a few hands go up and I select the man closet on the right</p><p>‘Steve Briggs, Daily Updates-where is your girlfriend? And have she and the other Avengers been supportive through this identity reveal?’ I laugh ‘technically thats two questions, but; Val is probably asleep it is 9am on a Monday after all. The other have been amazing, all in there own ways, but I couldn’t hope for a nicer, kinder group of people behind me. Next?’</p><p>‘Harry Fergans, America Today-who currently lives at the tower and what do you do on a day-to-day basis, when you aren’t saving the world?’ I look at Natasha for support before answering this</p><p>‘currently residing in the tower are both Caps; America and Marvel, Buckey, Stark, Dr Banner, Clint, Val, Spiderman, Thor and Nat, and on a day-to-day basis, well, we are human-or most of us are, but what I mean is that we still cook, clean, sleep, do homework in my case. Stark and Pepper have a company to run and Cap A, Nat and Clint are still agents so go on missions for weeks at a time and Carol still has a universe to save and a kid to visit. Next?’</p><p>‘Tom Perkins, Daily dose of Super-Why do you call Dr Banner by his formal title, but Mr Barton Clint? Could this be because Dr Banner is scarier, more intimating and dare I say angrier?’ I snort slightly</p><p>‘Well Dr Banner has 7 phDs and Clint falls out of vents singing the Backstreet Boys’</p><p>‘How do you think having your identity out will change your current lifestyle-especially still being in school?’</p><p>‘urmm, that’s a hard one, before I was extremally unpopular, being the nerd and stuff, but I think a lot of people will be a lot nicer to be. Mr Stark has developed face altering prosthetic veils so if we go grocery shopping and things we aren’t stopped, so really there are superheroes around you all the time, we just tend to go out in disguise so I bet ill be doing a lot more of that soon, usually I just laugh at the others arguing over the best pair of fake glasses!’</p><p>‘Thank you, that is all, Good luck with your test’ Grinning I turn back to the others; when we reach the steps Nat hands me over to Al</p><p>‘if it’s too much, just come home, we will sort everything, if you need anything or anyone says anything talk to me or Al. Control it, do not show it off, value your gift’ she orders softly and then looks awkward for a moment before pulling me into a bear hug</p><p>‘Я люблю тебя, детка, рассвет’ she whispers in my ear (I love you Baby Dawn)</p><p>‘спасибо вторая мама я тоже тебя люблю’ I reply quietly (thank you second mom i love you too) She holds me at arm length for second and smiles at me. Before walking strongly through the crowd and revving off in her snazzy car. Al looks after her appraisingly</p><p>‘You better get me a car like that when I pass my test’ she jokes as we walk in the doors</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>The hallway is crowded, lot of people out of their classrooms to see me (I think… im not sure) Al and I walk as fast as we can dowon the corridor following shouts of ‘please show us your Dawn’ or ‘can you get so and so Avenger to sign this?’ our path is blocked however by a shiny pair of shoes. I look up and lock eyes with Izzie</p><p>‘Iris, I just wanted to say I’m sorry’ I cannot believe this, she thinks that now im out as a superhero and enhanced that changes the fact she bullied me? ‘I’m sorry for calling you names and not believing in your internship’ and finished lamely and looks at me. I stare back at her, I can tell she’s lying, just apologizing to me because of who I am now</p><p>‘Izzie’ I say in the most apologetic tone I can muster</p><p>‘Yes’ she looks like a cat who’s got the cream</p><p>‘Please move, you’re in the way’ I smirk as she gasps like a goldfish but turn around just as I pass her ‘You know Izzie, if you meant that I would consider accepting your apology, but you don’t regret it at all do you. I saw you smile when you hit me, or laugh when you offended me or my family-because that’s what I think of the Avengers, and they think of me. But, if you ever hurt anyone the way you hurt me I will personally make sure you answer to it’ with that I grin at Al</p><p>‘We have English right?’ Al bites back a laugh and nods By the end i have had 2 apologies, been asked on 3 dates and had about 25 pieces of paper thrust at me to either sign or give to one of the others to sign. I am dead on my feet when Nat comes to pick us up, luckily the reporters have gone so I just run with my head down to the car and stare into space the entire drive, ignoring Nat’s frequent worried looks in my direction.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>It only takes 13 days of school for things to almost get back to normal. I never let my powers show, not unless it’s sneaking back into the gym to get the ball that got stuck in the rafter’s back, or flying up to the roof to replace a tile, or get a belonging someone’s thrown up there. Everyone seems to like me now, I’m not Iris, the school nerd and liar- I’m Red Dawn, Superhero and Avenger even though its really the same person. Then on the 13th day (only 2 questions and 1 autograph request for Thor) my day gets ruined-well, from my perspective at least. English is boring, we’re studying ‘<em>to kill a mockingbird</em>’ some thing I have read and memorized about a thousand times, then suddenly Queen’s Killer Queen starts playing. All head swivel to me in a frenzy and I turn bright red-it’s my ringtone for Natasha. Mr Frant’s head sticks up out of his pile of marking and he frowns</p><p>‘Phones should be off Miss Davids, just because of your special position’ I wince slightly-some of the teachers have been scathing ‘does not mean the rules don’t apply to you’ I finish the latest StarkPhone out of my bag and switch off the ringer</p><p>‘sorry sir’ I murmur, sitting back down. About 30 seconds later the tune begins again</p><p>‘Miss Davids I told you to turn it off’ the teacher is getting angry now ‘i…I have’ I stammer out ‘but Mr Stark has hacked our phones so calls from the…’ I was about to say other avengers but stop myself ‘certain people…can’t be put on silent’</p><p>He glares across the classroom ‘one more time and you will answer it in front of the class’ my eyes grow wide but he’s not done ‘on speaker’</p><p>
  <em>Please nat. please Thor or Loki or whatever god is up there ples- </em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘Shes a killer Queen, gunpowder and gelatine’ </em>
</p><p>I swear to go I will kill you Romanoff ‘well go on then’ Mr Frant looks smug-all the class is watching now I pull out the phone, hovering my finger over the accept button</p><p>‘but it’s Nat-Agent Romanoff’ I plead ‘I don’t care if it is the president of America answer the phone’ him ton is clipped, although whispers went up at the name. Click, click as I answer and turn on speaker mode</p><p>‘Thank Thor you finally fucking answered Red’ Nat’s voice comes frenzied over the speaker ‘we need you to come in, there is a hostage situation and an expected assassin-’ I cut her off quickly and shellshocked looks travel through the room</p><p>‘Nat, you are on speaker in my English class’ I whisper yell to the spy</p><p>‘дерьмо’ (sht) she says simply ‘precisely’ I respond ‘Russian, Mandarin or Latin’ ‘Russian’ she picks and switches to the language easily</p><p>‘у нас 9 вооруженных людей и 7 гражданских лиц, а также дочь президента - Елена Байден. нам нужно уничтожить их без потерь среди граждан, я проинформирую вас, когда вы приедете, но поторопитесь, тогда планируйте убить девушку в ближайшее время, мирные жители только для рекламы, запугивания и взяточничества’ (we have 9 armed men and 7 civilians, along with the president's daughter - Elena. we need to take them out with no citizen casualties, i'll brief you when you get here, but hurry, then plan to assassinate the girl soon, the civilians are just for publicity, scare and bribery) ‘хорошо, кто еще на’ I ignore the rapt expressions on my classes face and instead tap through my phone, seeing several news articles showing the situation</p><p>‘Val you and me’ Nat is speaking in English now we aren’t discussing confidential stuff-its quicker because I don’t need to translate in my head (im still not 100% fluent)</p><p>‘why not drag one of the grown up in’ I laugh</p><p>‘because you are closest and free’ she replies quickly</p><p>‘Fine’ I fake huff ‘see ya in 7 minutes’</p><p>‘5’ is the quick response ‘get comms on immediately’ then a beep as she hangs up</p><p>‘what the fuuuuccckkkk’ some one whispers</p><p>‘urmm… miss davids where are you going?’ Mr Frant stutters, knowing he can’t stop me regardless but trying anyway</p><p>‘to save 7 civilians and the President of the USA’s daughter from kidnapping assassins’ I reply, chucking my bag to Al (she returns it to my locker so my Stark tech isn’t stolen)</p><p>‘bye’ with that I run my fingers through my hair, feeling the suit growing on my dawn growing on my fingers the class cheers slightly and I turn red, spotting an open window at the front I leap onto a table before hovering off the ground</p><p>‘let me know if there is any homework’ I yell before souring off in a blur of pink. Little do I know an angry Asgardian was meant to be my ride.</p><p>
  <em> --about 5 seconds later--- </em>
</p><p>‘Now now class’ the teacher struggles to get control of his energetic class ‘lets get back too Atticus. Now he has get said ‘you-‘ but his lecture is cut short when the door lams open to reveal Valkyrie in full armour and sword on her back standing there. She scans the group of awe-struck teens in a second before turning to Frant</p><p>‘Where’s the glowing gay?’ she questions simply, tapping a few buttons on her braclet</p><p>‘she uhh-‘ the man doesn’t know how to respond, but apparently the young womans answer comes in the shape the hologram that erupts from her wrist slowing the locations of all the Avengers</p><p>‘aww, she left with out me’ pouting the superhero turns back to the group</p><p>‘that is my cue to leave-stay in school kids’ she sends awkward finger guns ‘and don’t do drugs and all that shit’ before leaping into the air spinning. In an instant an eagle is there in her place. The bird swoops out the window and in a second is only a speck in the distance</p><p>‘I don’t think I’ve said this enough’ the same voice at the back states ‘but what the fuuucckkk?’</p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Runaway</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>parents suck sometimes... :(</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I turn back up to class an 3 hours and 1 stab wound later, civilians saved and order somewhat restored. I open the door to the class room dead silent and creep down the passage in the centre of the tables, how no one saw me I have no idea, but I thank Thor for the lessons Nat has given me. The class finally notice my arrival when I unceremoniously dump my school bag loudly on the floor-it thuds like a ton of bricks, at once every eye swivels to me and questions start to erupt-they obviously have seen the news</p><p>‘quiet’ the teacher tries to regain control ‘QUIET’ she yells and everyone finally shuts up</p><p>‘Hi’ I say shortly, waving awkwardly</p><p>‘Why…Why is there blood on your shirt?’ my teacher asks, looking pale. I look down and see a large patch of red blooming just above the waistband of my school skirt</p><p>‘Ah yes’ I prod it gently ‘I got stabbed’</p><p>‘Stabbed?!’ Izzie yells</p><p>‘Lightly’ I reassure my class awkwardly ‘I’ll be totally healed in, like, 2 days’</p><p>‘I’m sorry Iris, but you have to go to the nurse’ Mrs West looks extremally unaplologetic at this though</p><p>‘but why?’ I question back</p><p>‘you are stabbed, go home or to the nurse’ she instructs ‘I’ll email you the homework but you can not be in school in your current situation’</p><p>I resist the urge to roll my eyes, if I hadn’t been out to the public all I would have done is fly by the hospital supply cupboard or Boots and grab some sort of bandage plaster and it wouldn’t matter.</p><p>‘fine’ I groan and slouch out the door, Alex giving me a sarcastic thumbs up as I pass my desk</p><p>***</p><p>The next day is a Saturday so I head on home, feeling elated to finally see my parents after so long away from home. I choose to fly there, landing on the drive in a glow of Red, feeling my clothes grow back from my suit as I start to walk towards the front door</p><p>‘Mum! Dad! Im home’ I yell walking into the hall and grabbing an apple off the sideboard and taking a juicy bite, I stop short however, seeing a single suitcase in the doorway</p><p>‘Mum, Dad’ I yell again and they appear, my mum looks tired, like she’s been crying and my dad looks almost apologetic, but angry</p><p>‘Whats the matter, whose leaving?’ I ask quickly, scanning their faces</p><p>‘You are’ my dad says finally and my heart leaps into my throat</p><p>‘w…what…what do you mean?’ stammering I try to walk further into the house but they block my path</p><p>‘you aren’t our Iris anymore, we don’t know you’ my mum says harshly, words stinging like a slap in the face</p><p>‘but-‘ I start and my dad cuts me off</p><p>‘If you want to go around shooting fireballs from your fists and kissing girls that’s up to you, but we don’t want to be a part of it’ his voice grows, getting louder and louder until he starts shouting</p><p>‘YOU AREN’T YOU ANYMORE. THIS HAS CHANGED YOU TOO MUCH. DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY REPORTERS CAME BANGING ON OUR DOORS 2 WEEKS AGO’</p><p>‘Dad I-‘ but again I am inturrputed</p><p>‘So you have to pick’ my mum says quietly ‘your family or the broken thing you are now’</p><p>I cant believe it. I cant. This is my family, my mum, my dad who have been there for the last 16 years, always there for me.</p><p>‘I…I cant choose’ I stammer out, noting the drop in my mum’s face ‘I cant. This is who I am now. I cant change it, I cant stop’ slowly reach out my hand. I blink and there, about the size of a golfball, just hovering off my hands is a ball of Dawn. My parents shrink back and I blink again, letting a tear run down my face</p><p>‘I was broken before you know that. I did stuff that showed I was broken. Now I’m happy IM HAPPY is that too much to ask?’ I sniff and walk backwards gently out of my family’s lives</p><p>‘I have a purpose now I have a reason to live. I might be different but Ive found somewhere I belong. And don’t you even dare’ I begin, my anger taking over sadness <br/>‘Don’t you even dare bring Val or ‘kissing girls’ into this. I don’t give a shit what you think about my sexuality or my girlfriend but this’ I gesture to the ball of Dawn, still pulsing in my hand, never staying in the same shape, always moving</p><p>‘This is who I am, I cant take it away’</p><p>‘You aren’t our Iris’ My dad growls</p><p>‘You aren’t our daughter anymore’ My mum adds, a tear also streaking down her face</p><p>‘but..but’ I try to voice my feelings, but all I can do is run away, run away from my problems, like I always do.</p><p>I turn and sprint out the door, grabbing the case as I go, their words spinning around and around in my head</p><p>You aren’t our daughter. If you want to go around shooting fireballs from your fists and kissing girls that’s up to you. You aren’t our daughter. If you want to go around shooting fireballs from your fists and kissing girls that’s up to you. You aren’t our daughter. If you want to go around shooting fireballs from your fists and kissing girls that’s up to you.</p><p>As soon as im out the door my emotion comes out in power, I light up, going full binary, seeing the reflection of myself in the glass of the doors, my parents (or ex-parents) watching shocked as I light up from inside out, arms and legs swirling with Dawn, eyes lighting up and hair glowing.</p><p>With a single wave I shoot up, up, away from everything, everyone that could hurt me</p><p>***</p><p>Meanwhile:</p><p>The OG 6 are lounging in the sitting room, Nat is reading a book, Clints head on her shoulder, the archer napping peacefully. Steve is painting while Bruce and Tony are looking at documents for the new labs, also searching though and reading the final Intern applicatios when FRIDAY’s voice rings out, she sounds worried</p><p>‘Sirs and Ma’am. INES has contacted me, it appears Red has gone binary and it currently flying at a dangerously full altitude and speed. Her suit and oxygen mask will not take much longer and the physical strain on her body might be to much.’</p><p>Natasha sits bolt upright </p><p>‘Where is she FRIDAY’ she asks quickly as general murmmers go around the room</p><p>‘She seems to be asking INES how long it would take her to fly to New Zealand at her current speed’ the AI responds and Tony’s eyes widen</p><p>‘How long would it take?’ he says, getting a tiny device from his pocket</p><p>’20 minutes at her current speed however she would pass out or get seriously injured in 15, before she makes it’ FRIDAY states, showing a 3d hologram of the globe. A pink dot is racing across, blinking every few seconds, eating up the miles to New Zealand</p><p>‘Who here can fly?’ Steve asks, quickly standing up. No one moves except Tony</p><p>‘I can, but I wont be able to stop her, it has to be you Nat’ he tosses the device to Nat, she looks down at it. </p><p>It’s a tiny little red hourglass.</p><p>‘Its nano-tech, but it onto your belt, double tap it when you need to and you'll get the Iron Widow suit, I designed it for your birthday but desperate measures I suppose’ she looks at him full of admiration.</p><p>‘thank you Tony’ she voice is soft and full of feeling. In a second she runs out.</p><p>‘Am…am I missing something?’ Bruce looks confused at all the worried faces ‘whats gone binary?’</p><p>‘Well, you know when Carol goes full power, when her hair glows and her eyes light up and it takes her over’ Steve explains and Bruce nods mutly</p><p>‘Well, because Red’s powers are similar she can do the same thing, but because she has the power of more than one infinity stone in her she…she’ he trails off</p><p>‘It could take her over too much, eat her alive’ Tony says softly ‘Carol’s body is used to the strain she’s been doing this a while, but Red, Red is in danger’</p><p>***</p><p>Nat runs straight to her room, easily putting on her catsuit and slipping the hourglass onto the belt, as soon as she is outside she double taps it. For a second nothing happens, then the suit starts to grow.</p><p>It’s a personalized version of Tony’s own suit, the colors are changed, her signature red and black, the hourglass coming undone from the belt and fixing it’s self in the same position as Stark’s ark reactor. Its also lighter and more flexible, more like an armored fabric than a metal suit. She moves easily in it and jumps almost out of her skin at a voice in her ear</p><p>‘Hello Ms Romanoff’</p><p>‘INES’ she breathes out quickly ‘get me to Red’</p><p>‘Right away Ms Romanoff’ and suddenly shes off. </p><p>Now Nat’s been through a lot, shes happy to big bullets out of her own skin, dose it in vodka and tie herself up with zip ties, but seeing the grounf rush away under her at an alarming rate almost terrifies her. Almost</p><p>‘urm INES, could you call Red for me’ she asks, blinking a few times and taking over the flying, easily getting the hang on of the thusters</p><p>‘Of course’ after a minute of ringing a crackling comes thorough on the line.</p><p>‘Not now Nat’ a broken voice comes through, husky and tried sounding</p><p>‘Yes, now Red’ Natasha tried to sound soothing and calm ‘You need to relax a bit’</p><p>‘Relax?’ Red’s voice is strangled and the crackling increases, Nat speeds up and spots a red blur on the horizon, high above her<br/>‘Iris, honey I don’t know whats happened but please try to tell me, you’re going to really hurt yourself’</p><p>‘I’ there is the sound of a sigh from the other end and nat gains on her again, almost catching up</p><p>‘They said Im not their daughter anymore’ she sniffs and natasha can practically hear the tears running down her face</p><p>‘who did?’ she prompts gently</p><p>‘my parents, or not my parents anymore’ she sniffs again and Nat sighs softly, she knows Iris has lost a lot in her life and adding her parents to the list is not a good idea</p><p>‘What do you mean, tell me what happened? She asks and listens as Iris tells her the story</p><p>‘Im so sorry Iris’ she murmmers, catching up and flying horizontal to the girl, as close as she dared with the mass of power surrounding her</p><p>‘’snot your fault’ </p><p>‘Iris, please’</p><p>‘I cant stop, I need to run away from my problems, like I always do’</p><p>‘Why?’</p><p>‘because they’ll eat me alive, the world will spin so fast and ill be stuck in it’</p><p>‘Iris, you need to stop, you might die’</p><p>‘Die?’</p><p>‘your body cant handle the power like Carol’s can, you need to slow down, take a deep breath’</p><p>‘I…I cant’ </p><p>‘Iris’</p><p>‘It’s Red now, Red Dawn. I don’t have a family, I don’t have anyone’</p><p>‘What about us? What about the huge amount of people waiting at the compound with baited breath watching you kill yourself in a GPS going across the globe’</p><p>‘They aren’t… they arnet my family’</p><p>‘Maybe not in blood’</p><p>‘I cant face them though, I cant look at a gang of superheros, whose names the entire world know. I cant look at them and think they’re my family’</p><p>‘Why not’</p><p>‘Its too good. All good things come to an end’</p><p>‘THEY ARE YOUR FAMILY’ Nat yells, finally loosing patience, seeng the countdown clock in the corner of her view flishing 4:56<br/>‘I THOUGHT I WAS YOUR FAMILY’</p><p>‘You are Nat-’</p><p>‘But?’</p><p>‘But I don’t want to hurt you. Everyone who gets close to me seems to die’</p><p>‘I’ve escaped death enough enough times Iris, I can assure you’</p><p>‘I just… what will you think of me’</p><p>‘we think that every hero goes through more than their fare share of shit. But its how you shove your chin in the air and walk out of it that matters even if you have to step over bodies on the way out’</p><p>‘wow, inspiring’</p><p>‘You need to stop Iris’ a pause ‘Think of the things you love. Think of Val and of ballet with me, and science with Shuri, pranking with Peter and family dinners, where everyone comes together and you can hardly hear yourself think over all the noise of reunions’<br/>‘family dinners’ the light around her seems to dim slightly and she slows down almost</p><p>‘exactly, family, in blood or not’</p><p>‘family’ and the power stops. In a millisecond the red has blinked out. And all that is left is a small, broken person, dropping from the sky in a mask and an almost burnt though suit</p><p>‘shit’ Nat yells and dives after the tumbling figure, catching her in her metal arms quickly and securely</p><p>‘Red!’ she spins around and heads for home, trusting INES to fly and turning her attention to Red</p><p>‘INES vitals?’</p><p>‘Heartbeat strong, she’s just unconcious’ the AI repsonds</p><p>‘Get Cho to set up the lab for when we come back’ Nat orders</p><p>‘Come on Iris, wake up, wake up’</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Recovery</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A harsh light cuts through my eyelids and I open them groggily. Im in a starch white room, machines and monitors beeping around me, I push myself to sit up but at once Dr Cho runs in</p><p>‘nope, not yet’ she states, giving me a gentle push back down ‘you need to rest’</p><p>‘but-‘ I try</p><p>‘rest’ she commands and I flop back down, letting my aching muscles relax slightly, the door opens a second time and I look up to see who it is.</p><p>Nat is standing in the door, leaning against the frame with her arms crossed and a vacant expression on her face</p><p>‘Im sorry Nat’ I whisper, burying my face into my hands</p><p>‘you were out the entire flight back’ she says shortly, walking over and sitting on the chair by my bedside</p><p>‘they had to cut the suit off you because it was almost melted into your skin. You nearly went into Cardiac Arrest because your heart couldn’t handle the strain. You were rushed to emergency surgery but pulled through last minute. Its been 14 hours since you fell’</p><p>This Natasha is all business, hard facts and nothing else</p><p>‘nat-‘ I try again and she turns to me, her voice softening </p><p>‘your family are worried about you’ she says gently and I shut my eyes for a moment</p><p>‘no they aren’t Nat, they’re the only reason im here, they’re the reason im hurt they-‘ but I stop at the look on her face, distorting her sharp, kind features </p><p>‘I didn’t mean them’ she states shortly and I follow her gaze.</p><p>Outside the glass wall of my room there are a gathering of people. Tony, Maria and Pepper are sitting in the waiting room, laptops out, both looking even more sleep deprived then usual and spreading their office work across several chairs. Peter is next, settling into a web hammock half asleep, mask on (because the web hammock would give identity away) cuddled up next to a stressed looking Val. Her hair is tied back into a messy topknot and her eyes bloodshot. Steve, Thor and Bruce come next, Steve doing some drawing while Thor watches eagerly and Bruce tapping away on a tiny hologram (a new robot designed to keep kids in foster care company). Carol walks in as I watch, laden down with starbucks and promptly drops the 8 cups on the floor at seeing me sitting up. I see their mouth move and everyone leaps up, sprinting out of my view.</p><p>In a second the door slams open and the group stand there Val and Peter jump onto me</p><p>‘idiot’ Val whispers, burying her face in the crook of my neck</p><p>‘idiot, idiot, idiot, idiot, idiot’ she repeats sitting on and perching on the side of my bed, giving me a light slap on the forehead with every word</p><p>‘very stupid idiot’ Peter adds from my other side and the adults snort</p><p>‘hey Red’ Carol states ‘welcome back’</p><p>‘and welcome to the family of alone powered weirdos’ Stark adds, grinning</p><p>‘im so sorry guys’ I say but the other shake their heads</p><p>‘after you complete the week of bed rest Cho has assignedmyou I assure you you will be sorry’ Maria smirks and I open my mouth in annoyance</p><p>‘a week!’ I squeak</p><p>‘yep’ Steve pops the P </p><p>‘we will keep you company though’ Peter offers with a grins and I cant resist smiling</p><p>‘thank you’ I say quickly ‘thank you so much’</p><p>‘I would say anytime’ Nat jokes, herding the others to the door ‘but do that again and Ill be tempted to just let you fall-got it’<br/>‘yes ma’am’ I reply and they leave, Peter and Val hang around for a bit</p><p>‘so, you missed a bit in the 14 hours you were out’ Peter starts saying excitedly as they both clamber onto the bed beside me</p><p>‘Loki died’</p><p>‘again’ Val adds</p><p>‘yes-again and Thor brought 34 green objects to Bruce to test to see if it was him, but we bet again like usual- the woman all bet 10 hours, Thor bet 24 and Tony and Steve bet 5, Val went on 3 hours then said ‘I don’t miss Lackey’ and he appeared next to her and tried to stab her’</p><p>‘so I got 30 bucks’ Val cuts in again</p><p>‘yes, Nat and Maria sparred for a solid 47 minutes and got a huge crowd because they are amazing’</p><p>‘and Carol’s kid and friend are coming for a bit so we’ll be able to meet them and Clint has gone to his house for a bit’</p><p>‘huh’ I say ‘a lot happens in 14 hours’</p><p>‘yes, well we’re all going slightly mad so…’ Peter trails off</p><p>‘Lets play games’ Val cheers suddenly and runs out, in a second she is back with a scrabble board </p><p>‘yessss’ Peter calls, setting up the game quickly ‘ill whoop you’</p><p>‘such confidence dearest arachnid’ Val coos, picking up her counters</p><p>***</p><p>Meanwhile:</p><p>The doorbell rings sharply and for a moment Steve looks down at the piece of paper in his hand, checking the address</p><p>‘this is it’ Bruce chuckles nervously and the next moment the door slams open</p><p>‘hello’ a stout woman is standing in the doorway and turns white when she sees Iron Man, Captain America and the Hulk standing on the doorstep</p><p>‘hi’ Tony doesn’t flash his paparazzi smile and Steve doesn’t offer to shake her hand, they just just glare down at her</p><p>‘we’re here to pick up Red’s stuff’ Steve states and gestures to the boxes around them</p><p>‘why?’ Alex has come up behind his wife and his attempting to meet the 6ft super soldier’s eye</p><p>‘well lets see’ tony pushes up his sunglasses with a sassy move ‘you kicked out your daughter so now she is moving in full time with us, and, as amazing as sharing clothes with The Avengers is, Iris needs her own stuff’ </p><p>‘please may we come in’ Bruce trues slightly gentler</p><p>Eventually they are allowed in and walk up the stairs to a room labelled as ‘busy unless you have tea or food’</p><p>Steve pushes the door open and stops short as they see the mess strewn all over the room. Books are heaped up in piles on the floor, covers ranging from Jane Eyre to a Surgeon’s textbook, Great expectations and Tortora’s principles of anatomy and physiology share a stack next to Me Before You and The Origin of the species, clothes are thrown across the room, scattered around as if someone packed in a hurry and on the desk schoolbooks and scrap pieces of paper are scrunched up in little balls among pens and pencils</p><p>‘I think we’re going to need a few more boxes’ Bruce says</p><p>‘yeah’ Steve replies, walking gingerly into the centre of the room and starting to pack boxes full of book and records, the others mirror the action and after a while they get through the fiction and onto the non fiction</p><p>‘The text book of Cardiology’ Bruce reads from the cover of a heavy looking medical book ‘Cardiac Arrhythmias now included’</p><p>‘why on earth would a person in year 13 want these?’ Tony exclaim taping up another box</p><p>‘She started reading as much as she could after she discovered her photographic memory’ a voice sounds from the door and the three wheel around. A young woman is standing in the doorway, she looks kind of like Iris but with blonder hair and slightly bluer eyes</p><p>‘Charity shops were her life really, collected anything and everything that she could read and memorise’ The person comes further into the room and hesitatingly picks up a box</p><p>‘Im her sister-Sophie. I was at Uni until this morning, they only just told me what happened. But’ she goes over to the corner and starts systematically folding up clothes and putting them in the box</p><p>‘she wouldn’t want captain America packing up her underwear’ with a smirk Sophie chucks a few more things in the box and they carry on, halfway through she gets to the records and picks out The Killers Best Hits, with another small smile that matches Iris’s she drops the needle and Mr Brightside fills the room, Tony sighs deeply</p><p>‘the kid has no taste. ACDC and Led Zeppelin beat everything on all accounts’ </p><p>An hour later the room is bare, desk empty, wardrobe cleared and floor finally visible, the only thing remaining is the record player, now playing Kiwi by Harry Styles, scratching as Bruce dropping a box onto the floor makes the needle jump.<br/>Sophie leads them and the boxes to the door but hesitates before they leave and hands over a scrap of paper with a number on it.</p><p>‘Tell her I’m not them. I’ll still talk to her. I’m proud of her’</p><p>Steve nods and takes the paper ‘I will’</p><p>And they leave, a large Stark Industries labelled van takes away the boxes and a golden glow lands on the drive next to the three men. Carol Danvers stands there, still letting off a faint light, decked out in Air Force leather jacket and band tee</p><p>‘I had to stop Romanoff from coming over here with her knives-Val too’ she states and Tony rolls his eyes</p><p>‘Steve had to bargain me not to use my repulsors’ he adds and Carol fires up a first</p><p>‘Im half inclined to show them what happens when you mess with Red - but ready to go home?’ she asks, and the others nod. In one movement she scoops up Steve and Bruce and shoots off, leaving only stark who stands and allows his Iron Man suit to grow over his body, with a nod he too rises into the air and Sophie is left standing, looking up to the now empty sky.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Permission Slips</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>hey so-yes, i did another field trip. I couldnt help myself</p><p>I've also written one with Wanda, Pietro, Lila, Cooper, Cassie, Red and Peter but proably will never get around to posting it....</p><p>enjoy!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It’s a 3 weeks later Peter comes home from school with a red face and yellow permission slip. </p><p>‘What the hell you guys’ he practically yells as he dumps his bag in the living room and plops down on the couch. I open one eye lazily; I finish school 30 mins earlier than Peter, so I was dozing on Val’s lap while she was thrashing Nat at Mario cart when the Spiderling came in</p><p>‘oops, it appears Spidey has discovered our master plan’ laughs, pausing the game</p><p>‘a field trip, here and an overnight one? Guys really I get yours sucked but you don’t need to embarrass me too and overnight, overnight?’ he groans as Nat signs his slip with a flourish (it was a few months ago Nat, Steve, Tony, Pepper and Banner became our legal guardian, after the battle of London when it was clear it was necessary as an Avenger to be signed off for hospital treatments and stuff)</p><p>‘noooooo’ he huffs to his room and we can vaguely hear him lecturing FRIDAY on how to kill us if we embarrass him</p><p>Which is how, later that week Val and I stand in the hall waiting for our tour group to arrive.</p><p>***</p><p>A harried looking teacher rushes into reception as we walk down the stairs into reception, suits on and matching swords strapped to our backs</p><p>‘Excuse me’ I hear him bark at the bored receptionist ‘I’m here with Midtown tech school, we have a tour booked for today’ I run over and get the attention of the man</p><p>‘Hey, Mr…’ I question and Val grabs the box of badges off the desk</p><p>‘Harrington’ he finishes eyeing me warily</p><p>‘Well Mr Harrington, We are Red and Val, your tour guides for today so would you like to bring the group in so we can get the badges set up and explain the rules and stuff’ I inform him, striding over to the group of assembled kids. A domineering boy at the front calls out to me as I begin to address the class</p><p>‘Why are you here, you’re too young to work here everyone knows they don’t employ high schoolers like penis over here’ he guffaws and points to a small boy at the back and Val rolls her eyes but is cut off my one of the girls next to Peter</p><p>‘dude do you read the news at all? This is Red Dawn and Valkyrie, two of the strongest female avengers and the first gay couple on the team’ she shoots an uninterested glare at the person who’s now shoved to the front. I ignore him</p><p>‘What did you just call Peter?’ Val threatens, but I put my hand on her arm</p><p>‘ଠିକ ଅଛି ମୋର ପ୍ରେମ, ଆମେ ପରେ ଏହାକୁ ସଜାଡ଼ିବା, ଚାଲନ୍ତୁ କେବଳ ଆମର କାମ କରିବା ଏବଂ ପିଟରଙ୍କୁ ଲଜ୍ଜିତ କରିବା’ I say calmly (It's okay my love, we'll sort that out later, let's just do our job and embarrass Peter)</p><p>‘what did you just say’ another boy calls out; peter looks like he could vanish</p><p>‘Well, Val has taught me Norse so we can talk without the others to knowing what we are saying, and we also know Russian to talk rubbish about the others with Nat and we’re trying to teach Spidey but he’s useless’ I explain exasperated but Val ushers them over to the scanners</p><p>I fall into the speech Stark made me memorise last night</p><p>‘Hello, Midtown. My name is Red, and I will be your tour guide for today. First some rules; Always stay close to me and don't wander off on your own. Please be respectful to all the workers here and don't touch anything, especially in the labs, without asking permission at first. Stark Industries has a strict anti - bullying policy. <br/>We at Stark Industries are very proud to say that we are very open and accepting, nobody gets judged based on their appearance, race, gender, sexuality, or religion. So, we expect the same from all our guests. Also don't lose your badge. You will each get a badge for the tour, that will be deactivated as soon as you leave the tower. So, you can keep it as a souvenir, but it won't work anymore. <br/>Here at Stark Industries we have 10 levels of badges. Level one tours and guest, you’ve access to floors 1-50. Level 2 is for paparazzi, who are the same as tours but can take pictures. Level 3 are janitors and other staff like that. Level 4 are Interns and temporary scientists, like me. We have access to levels 1-60 which is the same as you but includes the labs. 5, 6 and 7 are just normal staff, higher level interns and scientists. but at level 8 are the SHEILD agents and temporary guest living quarters access floors 1-80. <br/>Then we get onto the exciting stuff. Level 9 gives access to the Avengers who have all floors 1-90, 70-90 are training rooms basically and Mr Stark and Dr Banners private labs-so everything except the penthouse, who are Level 10, the penthouse is floors 90-100 and are living quarters to Mr and Mrs Stark and the other Avengers that live here, on sight as well as the 3 heirs, their badges are customised but recognizable by the gold rim.’ I finish in a huff and Val starts handing out the Level 1 cards</p><p>‘well well well what have we here’ Val smirks as Peter pins his personalised badge onto his jacket</p><p>‘ha’ the annoyance calls out ‘your lies have been exposed Penis, get ready to be kicked out’ Val spins on her heel</p><p>‘What did you just say’ she challenges reaching up as if to grab the Dragon Fang from her back. Mr Harrington steps between the two figures</p><p>‘please do not threaten the class Miss... Miss Valkyrie, I have told Peter multiple times lying I not okay that that he should own up before someone important finds out his internship is a fake’</p><p>This time it’s my turn to turn around ‘excuse me’ the teacher stammers now, noting the red tendrils weaving up my fingers<br/>‘well... he stammers ‘Peter has been spreading rumours about him having an internship and has been overheard saying he lives at this tower’</p><p>‘well’ I say quickly ‘he does, that is all im going to say and everyone deserves their secrets. Now please proceed through the scanner where FRIDAY Mr Stark’s AI will greet you and clear you for access’</p><p>The group surges forward and Annoyance goes first</p><p>‘Eugene’ I scoff ‘Thompson, Access level 1, Welcome’ he spins around as if to look for the source of the voice but Val just smirks ‘AI remember’</p><p>The class files through, MJ and Ned get the same clearance at level 7, but Peter looks worried when his term comes up</p><p>‘Peter Parker AKA straight boi but still a disaster Access level 10, welcome home, would you like me to inform Tony of your arrival’<br/>The boy turns red ‘no thanks FRI but I’m sure he already knows’</p><p>‘Indeed, he does mini-boss however he has left embarrassing you to Red, Val and everyone else, because he is on a board call, have a pleasant trip’ I laugh out loud and step through the scanners</p><p>‘Iris AKA Red Dawn AKA gay disaster no. 3 welcome home butthole’ the Irish lilt comes through the speakers; the teacher looks shocked</p><p>‘Does the robot usually talk like that?’ he questions as Val walks through getting the exact same response except no.2</p><p>‘no’ I say shortly ‘but I do know who does’ Glaring up at on of the AI’s camera I continue ‘Shuri if this is you I will personally hunt you down and kill you-after we have killed Peter of embarrassment of course, but trust me. Nat can hide a body’</p><p>The teacher looks terrified but Val switches into helpful tour guide mode</p><p>‘right this way please Midtown Prep’</p><p>We continue through to the museum, stopping off at the lift to dump bags. The class wonders round the museum and Val and I end up at the Black Widow section</p><p>‘Damn only 32 aliases, I though Nat was better than that’ Val jokes reading off the board</p><p>‘Excuse me, Miss Valkyrie and Miss Dawn’ a confident voice speaks behind us. We turn and see Peters friend who came back on that rude kid at the start. I smile at her</p><p>‘It’s Red and you’re MJ, right?’ Her face remains blank</p><p>‘I have a few questions for you and I was wondering if I could ask you them now, or maybe set up a time for an interview’ Val raises a single eyebrow (I TAUGHT HER THAT) and the girl continues, ignoring the gesture</p><p>‘I’m doing a segment of powerful women for the Queer Alliance group newsletter I run, and I think you guys would be awesome to write about?’</p><p>This time Val cracks a grin ‘sure, maybe not right now cus of everyone else, but I’d love to set up a time via peter someday, we’d to love talk to you’ she nudges me and I nod calculatingly</p><p>‘Do you know anything about that arsehole’ I ask, looking in the direction of Eugene. MJ’s eyes darken<br/>‘Peter will kill me for telling you but that kids been bothering him for years. Never admits it, and the teachers ignore it, but I have thought about killing him a few times’ I grin at her</p><p>‘Wow, finally someone with the same views as me. Remind me to introduce you to Nat at some point, together with Pepper I bet we could all take over the tower’ I joke, and the girl face changes slightly from faked uninterest to badly faked uninterest</p><p>‘I bet we coul- ‘but is cut off by a comment Annoyance is making</p><p>‘Ayo look at her dude, I bet she’s got like 7 boyfriends. She’s just too hot’ My eyes flick up and I stride across the room</p><p>‘Excuse me’ I say sugar sweet smiling icily at the short boy. He doesn’t step down</p><p>‘I said I bet she’s got like 7 boyfriends Cutie’ he says looking me up and down slowly, MJ steps in almost immediately</p><p>‘Get your head out your butt Flash you clearly hear everyone say she was gay just leave her alone’ I roll my eyes and look to Val for back up but she is with Peter trying to talk to him about the bullying.</p><p>Eugene (ha) looks me up and down again I resist the urge to skin him ‘I bet I could convert you’ he winks at me and flounces off. </p><p>MJ gasps ‘what a d’ she states then looks at me ‘you okay’ she says slowly registering my harried look</p><p>‘Yeah’ I assure her, and Val and the now okay Peter walk up to join us ‘Yeah I’m fine, I just don’t have enough middle fingers to express myself’</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>comments, kudos and prompts very appreciated</p><p>sorry this had taken so long to post, been busy over half term and tried to get some screen-free time b4 online school :(</p><p>have a great day, remember to distance and wear masks!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chaos</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Peter's school goes to the intern labs and Shuri and Clint make appearances</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>‘Its not until halfway through the museum, they get a surprise encounter. After the board on the Battle of London. Val sees Peter’s body language change slightly<br/>The Boy tilts his head up slightly and makes an eagle sign with his hands.</p><p>I grab then attention of the group then holds up my fingers and counts down 5…4…3…2…</p><p>CRASH</p><p>Clint Barton lands on the floor with a resounding thud. Everyone but the three of us jump. Val smirks.</p><p>‘Well, well, well Mr Barton, what are you doing?’ she laughs </p><p>‘Fuck you Iris I was trying to land on you, ya little shit’ he states standing up and brushing himself off, glaring humorously at me</p><p>‘Language’ FRIDAY calls in Caps voice (the Avengers had put in place No more Clints Protocol in place after us ‘kids’ moved in to try and stop us from picking up on the other’s bad language-it has just spurred us to cuss more)</p><p>‘H…el…lo  Mr Barton Hawkeye Mr Clint Sir’ Mr Harrington splutters, confused and surprised at the fact an Avenger just fell out of the ceiling and is swearing around his measly tour group</p><p>‘Wow’ the archer looks surprised ‘Change my name to Mr Barton Hawkeye Mr Clint Sir please FRIDAY’ Then he turns to the flabbergasted teacher ‘Cant I pop into this little trip’ he grins </p><p>‘No’ Val says shorty</p><p>‘pleeeease’ he begs</p><p>‘No’ I repeat, but he remains insistent</p><p>‘fine, but all of Buckey’s cookies have now spontaneously vanished and have all been eaten’ he raises an eyebrow at our aghast expressions</p><p>‘you wouldn’t dare’ I whisper, a ball of dawn glowing in my right hand, I hear whisper behind me and the click of a few cameras but The Winter Soldier’s cookies are more important than a bunch of school kids</p><p>‘Fine’ Val takes over ‘So who would like to have Mr Barton answer a few questions’</p><p>The archer complies-sparingly, he only answers a 6 and with the shortest answers possible</p><p>‘Why do you use a bow and arrow’<br/>‘Because I like it’</p><p>‘How do you always hit target’<br/>‘Practise’</p><p>‘How many languages do you know’<br/>‘3’ he signs ‘But I can swear in 11’ he adds in English</p><p>‘You know sign language?’<br/>‘yes’ </p><p>‘Why?’<br/>‘I am deaf’</p><p>‘How are you hearing us now’<br/>‘I have ear buds made by tony’</p><p>‘Who is your favourite Avenger'<br/>For this one he thinks for a moment, then looks at us mockingly ‘Red and Val are huggeeee buzz kills and eat all the cookies’ he winks at the gang then, with outwarning or goodbye, jumping back into the vents.</p><p>In a trice Val has whipped out her sword, she jabs the vents ‘you better save those baked goods bird brain or I’ll tell Nat it was you that lost her 6th favourite knife’ she threatens and a n audible gulp is heard as he scampers away.</p><p>‘Whatever, onwards’ I call, leading the group to the lift, and  up to the intern labs<br/>Just before the door opens Val turns around.</p><p>‘Warning-these are the intern labs, basically gay gen z shits who share a single braincell between them locked up with a bunch of explodables and a coffee machine so… yeah’ she trails off as the lift pings and doors open to what can only be described as chaos.<br/>Alice is screeching on the floor at something on fire (I honestly swear to god I have no idea what it is or was) while Harley wields a fire-extinguisher in a way that would make DUM-E proud. Billie is lying on the floor calmly chanting<br/>‘God take me, its my time. Take me, Take me’<br/>While another is calmly pouring skittles into a cup of coffee and then dumping it into a large stack of papers while her companion sobs to the side</p><p>‘Welcome to hell’ Brunn throws open her arms as everyone’s jaw drops</p><p>‘IMMA BAD BITCH YOU CANT KILL ME’ Alice screams then looks up</p><p>‘Gay motherfuckers!’ she yells, catching sight of Val, peter and I ‘we need help and caffineeeeeee’</p><p>Brunn rolls her eyes and leads the group further into the mass of mentally breaking down kids</p><p>‘EVERYONE SHUT UP’ she yells and at once Billie stops chanting to God, Harley drops the fire extinguisher with a thud and the skittle-coffee person gently places the cup on the table and places an arm around her partner</p><p>‘Thank you, right’ Val starts issuing orders ‘Alice please stop screeching and help Harley clean up whatever was on fire and update the board. Billie, stop pleading with God, it never works-I’ve tried, he’s a shit listener. May and Henri, please stop pouring skittly coffee on your research, burning is more effective, along with blowing it up. This is the tour group so please introduce yourself with out corrupting them’ and she flop down on the desk rubbing her temples</p><p>‘Urghh fine’ Henri (the sobbing person) groans and sidles over to the teacher, who by this point looks like jumping out a window, bearing in mind he seems to be an organised, homophobic control freak this is must be hell for him.</p><p>‘Right, Im Alice she/her pronouns, I am stuck in this lab with a gang of shits and my partner’</p><p>‘Im Henri they/them pronouns, we burn things and try to solve problems we haven’t even invented yet cus the list of problems we have discovered is too big’</p><p>‘What do you mean the board’ Betty yells out and Alice grins</p><p>‘We are the Kaboom lab, best known for fires and explosions, our board is how we count. This year so far we are on 4,834, or record for a week is 106 and that was todays 3rd’ she smiles proudly </p><p>‘But you have stuff to do so follow me’ Henri calls, leading the group over to a not burned/exploded/covered in slime bench (very rare) that has a large box of spare parts on it.</p><p>‘Make a robot that does something interesting’ they instruct ‘You have 30 minutes and the person that wins will be able to have lunch with an avenger’</p><p>At this the group practically exploded themselves, and scrabbled for the box. I join Val sitting to the side and after 30 minutes of helping the clean up operation Alice finally calls time on the kid’s projects.</p><p>‘Okay tools down, we have a special guest come to join us for judging’ she announces ‘please welc-‘ but she is shut off by the elevators slamming open and Shuri bursting in like a hurricane with a megaphone (bad combo) yelling</p><p>‘CHICKENS ARE FRIENDS NOT FOOD JUNE’ at May, who had just sat down to eat her salad in peace… or not</p><p>‘Who the heck are you’ flash yells, whose clearly had enough at being proved wrong this tour</p><p>‘ohhhhh’ Shuri draws out the sound and saunters up the to boy<br/>‘I take it this is the banana-brain-idiot-phyco-bully’ </p><p>‘yep’ Val states, hopping off the counter ‘but there a murder list get in line’ </p><p>Flashes (the the teachers) eyes open wide and he gapes like a fish</p><p>‘I’m third after Val and Red’ Shuri confirms, then turns back to the boy ‘ehehehe, the plot McThickensTM WATCHYOBACKBITCH’ she whispers, staring at him ominously while backing out of the room</p><p>‘Shurrr’ I yell after her and she pokes her head back around grinning</p><p>‘Loving the dramatic exit and all but you haven’t introduced your self or judged the competition’</p><p>‘oops’ she states, then brings the rest of herself into the room and fake bows at Peter and I</p><p>‘Fianceés’ she announces dramatically ‘I am Princess Shuri of Wakanda’ gasp go around and Flash yells again</p><p>‘How does Puny Parker know and be engaged to an actual Princess’</p><p>‘He made the same mistake as me!’ I smile, happy to know someone is as stupid as me, Shuri growls and takes a step forward</p><p>‘Murder Line remember’ Val reminds her and pulls the princess back</p><p>‘Fine, whatever, Red and Pete are idiots and accidentally proposed to me so they are my finaceés. Now let’s judge!’#</p><p>The round goes weirdly, loads of peoples tried to make dancing robots with varying levels of success, Ned and MJ’s is awesome and charges your phone by holding it, but when we get to Flash’s things get interesting</p><p>‘Nope’ Shuri states, breezing straight past it</p><p>‘What do you mean nope?’ Mr Harrington argues quickly, Shuri turns to him eye brow raised</p><p>‘I mean, Flash’s is the best, why do you say no’ he hesitates but Shuris expression doesn’t change ‘your majesty’ he adds and she rolls her eyes</p><p>‘it’s the same as Peters’ she explains, but still the teacher argues</p><p>‘Its totally different, look at it’</p><p>‘On the outside, yes. But the mechanics and code is practically identical’ she prods the machine (which is supposed to fetch and carry cups of tea and thing) and it’s arm falls off with a crash</p><p>‘see. Worst. Next’ she announces and looks at Peters</p><p>‘Awww it’s so cute’ She greets the robot who beeps in response</p><p>‘I would say Peter wins but he already lives with these shitheads’ she waves vaguely in the area of Val and I ‘So MJ and Ted, ya win’ <br/>Then she picks up the small robot ‘I am adopting him’ Peter gasps<br/>‘You cant take my baby’ He argues but she grins</p><p>‘He’s called PETE-R and will live with me forever and ever’ and strides out of the room, PETE-R beeping sadly in her arms</p><p>‘Well, that’s Shuri’ Val states ‘Let’s carry on’</p><p>Everyone files out of the lab with awe-struck expressions on their faces, as we enter the lift FRIDAY/’s voice rings out<br/>‘Scary gays #2 and #3 Tin Can has asked me to remind you their tour includes a lab tour-I recommend yours’ </p><p>I groan ‘but I don’t want small sticky children in my workspace’ nut the elevator overrides my command and wizzes us up to the private labs</p><p>‘Fine. FRIDAY let them in’ They trickle in slowly, staring with open mouths at the blueprints an holograms and unassembled suits<br/>‘Right, welcome to candyland’ Val states ‘Let’s start the tour’ She picks up a small object littered on my desk</p><p>‘This is a highly explosive item’</p><p>‘nope’ I giggle</p><p>‘knife’</p><p>‘no’</p><p>‘a vemon spirty thingy’</p><p>‘not yet’</p><p>‘a…gun… that’s my final guess’</p><p>I narrow my eyes ‘It’s a pen honey’ laughing I snatch the painted biano off my red girlfriend and turn to the group</p><p>‘This is why I usually do not let her in our lab’ I carry on ‘This is the lab I share with spiderman, Peter, Val-on strict no-touching explosive stuff rule and Shuri when she drops by. This is a suit, as is this and those are Shuri awesome hand blaster thingamigigs’ I say pointing around the room</p><p>‘I’ve got stuff to do so feel free to look around and stuff, no touching things that look dangerous-they probably are, and no touching things that don’t look dangerous-they’ll kill you’ I confirm</p><p>I settle down in the corner, occasionally looking up to death glare a few kids when they try to slip something into there pocket while looking around the room.</p><p>After about half an hour I hulk-proof the lab and lead the group to where loads of chair are set out and roll my eyes, internally cursing Stark and my entire existence</p><p>‘Right, so as a scientific marvel’ I frown as Val snorts in the background ‘Im now going to do a power demo and Q and A about my powers so’ I wave my arms around ‘ask questions’</p><p>Literally everyone except Peter shoves their hand in the air and I pick out a tall girl at the front</p><p>‘What are your powers’ she asks specifically </p><p>‘urmmm telekinesis’ I narrow my eyes trying to remember ‘so I can move stuff with my eyes, glow randomly, have heightened senses and super strength, I also can mentally manipulate you, we haven’t treid much yet so im not sure quite how much I can do but I can change people’s mood and make them feel really angry, or sad if I want-do you want a demo?’</p><p>The entire group nods and I call Val over ‘I need a guinea pig’ She smirks at me and in a flash a small fluffy guinea pig is sitting on the floor where Val was a moment ago</p><p>‘wow, literal but ill pick one of you’ immediately Peter turns bright turn and I turn to him with a sickly sweet smile</p><p>‘Parker, up here please’ I ask and he groans</p><p>‘noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo’</p><p>‘That was an order Parker’ I smrik again and he groans again</p><p>‘you aren’t Maria, you cant order me around’ he pouts up I raise an eyebrow at him, dragging his feet up to the front I sit him in front of me</p><p>‘so basically im going to manipulate Pete’s mind into thinking its really tired’ Peter sticks his tongue out at me but I just return the gesture and place a glowing palm on his forehead. He crumples underneath me and falls, dead sleep onto the chair, his class mates gasp and MJ whips out a sketch book and begin to scribble furiously</p><p>‘yeh so, this is it’ I poke Peter and he snores loudly ‘we haven’t worked out how we wake him up yet so he’ll just kinda come around’</p><p>I podge him again ‘Peterrrrrrrrr’ he snores loudly and bats me away</p><p>‘peterrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr’ I try again</p><p>‘’o a’ay m’r s’ark I’s wanna sleep’ he murmmers and Val snorts loudly, coming over and also prodding him</p><p>‘iswanna sleep ‘ncle steve’ he slurs again and I have an idea</p><p>‘Peter, Clint is in the vents above your lab, he is about to dump 4 kilos of glitter and 47 tubs of slime onto your workspace’ I say quickly and suddenly the boy sits blot up right</p><p>‘Im going to fcking kill birdbrain’ he yells then turns bright red as he realises the situation, then turns to be with a look of pure betrayal on his face</p><p>‘Val is now my favourite sister’</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>please leave comments and kudos</p><p> </p><p>all (reasonable) prompts are accepted and im running out of ideas so feel free to ask them below as well as any questions you have about the story or characters.</p><p>Have a great day, remember to wear you masks!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Training</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>This is just a finish up of the trip and prep for am important  bit coming tomorrow</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>‘I want to fight her’ the butthole from earlier says pointing at me</p><p>‘you do realise that Red is the only person ever to beat Ms Romanoff here, and she has a very powerful weapon at her disposal’ the Cap says, eyeing the brave boy</p><p>‘Val, this is the dude that said he could convert me’ I state to my girlfriend still locking eyes with Flick or whatever his name is. I can feel the tension as both Nat and Val step up behind me and the swish of Val taking out her Dragon Fang. I see Nat’s index finger twitch-damn she really is angry</p><p>‘You know the rules then’ Cap says as we pick our corners and Val and Nat retreat slowly ‘powers, cheating, pranks, and weapons are allowed, first to knock out or incapacitate their opponent wins the match. And as you both know, No killing.’</p><p>‘are you okay with me using my Dawn’ I question the boy, letting it snake up my finger, he looks decidedly worried but nods forcefully.</p><p>‘let the fight begin’ Cap yells throwing down his arms. Flick lunges at me immediately but I throw my ball of dawn at is and enclose him in a protective dome.</p><p>‘Hi so, as you know Val and I came out a few weeks ago and this dude here’ </p><p>I vaguely wave at Flash who is straining against my dome </p><p>‘is a perfect example of the type of person that doesn’t love or respect you for who you are. So, don’t listen to them. Be whoever the hell you wanna be’ I finish, and few people nod appraisingly. I beckon Val over and give her a quick kiss, she grins then backs away as I drop my shield. Flash runs at me. At the last minute I dodge, and he runs straight into my outstretches arm and goes down like a sack of potatoes in a millisecond and I am on top of him, forearm on his throat</p><p>‘if you ever say anything like that to anyone, anyone at all-including Peter or Val or Nat I will hunt you down and they will not find your body’ I threaten,</p><p>"Знаешь, я могу убить тебя более чем двадцатью способами с твоим шнурком. Я бы даже не моргнул." I add, fixing him with a cold glare Nat would be proud of. Then I grin and reach down to give him a hand up</p><p>‘wh…what does that mean’ he stammers out. Nat cuts in</p><p>‘You know, I could kill you in over twenty ways with your shoelace. I wouldn't even blink. Is what she said. But really its 27 ways-28 if you also have a carebina’</p><p>We stick around for 30 minutes more until we get bored of watching kid’s have their butts handed to them (except Peter and unsurprisingly MJ) I’m about to leave before I remember the embarrass Peter mission. I walk over to him arms out</p><p>‘Come here Petey boiiii, come and hug your favourite sister goodbye’ Val gets the gist, and we squeeze Peter as hard as we can between us</p><p>‘I hate you guys’ he yells at us as we walk out</p><p>‘goodbye gay disasters 2 and 3’ FRIDAYS voice rings out over the system</p><p>‘Im gunna fing kill you Shuri’ I bellow as the door shuts</p><p>***</p><p>I knock on the door and enter with out waiting for an answer. It’s 9 o’clock and Peters tour group have finished up and are chilling in their rooms so Val and I decide to crash. I roll my eyes when I see the inhabitants.</p><p>‘Seriously Peter, trust you to get put not only with two of your best friends’ I nod at Ned and MJ ‘but also your bully and enemy’ I laugh at Flash who is sulking in the corner.</p><p>‘Hey Red’ MJ calls and squishes up on the sofa they are all sitting on I plop down</p><p>‘why are you here’ Peter asks suspiciously</p><p>‘Well Nat kicked us out cus we were beating her at Mario Cart, so we came bearing gifts’ I hold up the sweets Peter grins slightly</p><p>‘Fine, but only due to your bribes’ he comes over and joins us on the sofa. It is now incredibly squished, so Val and I sit next to each other on MJ’s bed</p><p>‘Dude its not that bad’ I laugh ‘You should of heard what FRIADY said to me as I was scanned, Tony said welcome and the he was disappointed not mad I hadn’t made my bed, Natasha threated to kill my friends in Russian and swore at me twice about leaving my school stuff round the tower and clint being clumsy in English. Then FRIDAY told everyone Steve and Bucky had made cookies for me to make up for Nat’s message’</p><p>Peter and Val wheeze and MJ looks mildly amused as we swap stories of our times at Stark Towers and Val and I’s iconic trip. When it nears 10 pm Im beginning to notice a bit of a pattern in MJ’s behaviours. Whenever a certain Wakandan Princess is mentioned she stops, enters, or leaves the conversation quickly and stops sketching with a far-off look in her eyes</p><p>‘Вэл, я думаю, у нас в руках неразлучник’ I whisper to Val and MJ stares at us (I think we have a love bird on our hands)</p><p>‘ага, некая принцесса Ваканды и эта крутая девушка Питера’ Val replies grinning but our smiles drop when MJ decided to join our private convo (yep, a certain Wakandan princess and that cool friend of Peters)</p><p>‘вам, ребята, нужно выбрать менее известный язык, чтобы сплетничать’ she pronounces perfectly (you guys need to use a less well-known language to gossip in).</p><p>We stay until about 1am, chatting about random stuff as you do and laughing at Val when she fails for 21 times in a row to catch a skittle in her mouth.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>comments, kudos, prompts are all appreciated</p><p>stay safe and wear your mask xx</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Telepathy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Nat died.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The following night I meet Nat in the training room, but she is sitting in the dark, her head in her hands</p><p>‘Red I have to tell you something’ She says gesturing for me to sit next to her. I frown slightly but she continues<br/>‘I died.’ She states shortly. I look around, confused expecting someone to jump out or shuri to yell Prank at me</p><p>‘I died, and I got brought back. I sacrificed my soul for a galaxy, and you brought me back’ Nat slowly registers my reaction</p><p>‘You’d better start from the beginning’ I reply, my brain slowly trying to process this information </p><p>‘In the Galaxy of Tirshan there was a Titan called Thanos, he wanted these 6 stones, the infinity stones, which you have obviously encountered before’</p><p>I nod, and force my Dawn to seep through my fingers and up my arms and allow her to continue</p><p>‘If he had 6 stones, he could have wiped out 50% off all life on that galaxy. Half of everyone’s family, half of everyone’s lives, just like that’ She snaps her fingers sadly</p><p>‘we found him when he had 5 stones, just the Soul Stone remained, we had to stop him. So, Clint and I were sent to a realm called Vormir, where it was said to be. It was at the top of `this cliff, Red Skull was there, he told us the bargain-a soul for a soul, you had to sacrifice one you loved- he knew my father’s name. I didn’t even know my fathers name’ she explains, staring into space</p><p>‘Whatever its takes’ she fiddles with her fingers nervously ‘Clint said to tell his family he loved them. But I couldn’t. They’d just had Nathaniel. I couldn’t take someone’s father away’</p><p>‘Clint has kids?’ I ask gently when she pauses</p><p>‘Yes, they’re off the SHEILD files and he’d like to keep it that way. Cooper, Lila, and Nate-Nathaniel, he was meant to be Natasha, but fate had other ideas. So, I told him he’d tell them himself. We fought. You have no idea what it is like to fight the person that saved your life. He used my bites on me and jumped’</p><p>Silent tears are running down her face as she continues<br/>‘I ran after him and as I fell shot a line to the edge. It was attached to his belt, but he still managed to catch me. We were hanging off the cliff. He just had my wrist. He was the string holding onto my chance, but I knew the fall would be worth it. I told him it would be okay, I told him to let me go. I swung myself off the cliff.’</p><p>‘You sacrificed your life for billions of people you didn’t even know’ I whisper</p><p>‘I had red on my leger. I wanted to wipe it out.’ Is all she says</p><p>‘The war was stopped apparently. Thanos tried to snap with only 5 and it killed him, burnt him like a crisp, tony tried something heroic and nearly died, but we recovered. They couldn’t even find my body; they couldn’t even say goodbye. The last words I ever said to my family were ‘see you in a minute’ it was a very long minute, 9 months’</p><p>‘Then me’ I question, looking into her watery emerald eyes.</p><p>‘Yes’ she breathes out ‘Then you, all I remember is falling, just like you. When I woke, I was at the bottom of the cliff. Red Skull greeted me like an old friend. Soul for a soul. I pushed him off Vormir. Had to climb all the way up, but it was worth it. He wasn’t someone I loved, the trade didn’t count, but no one should be subject to that again’</p><p>‘But how did you leave Vormir’ I ask confused ‘It’s not exactly teeming with public transport’</p><p>‘I don’t know, I was faint, I was on deaths door-again. All I know after that is being dropped onto the drive outside this tower, dropped straight onto the gravel. But it didn’t hurt. Then tears, so many tears. They have never told me what happened when they were alone all they said was that they wanted to Avenge me, that they missed me, that they loved me. And I realised I can never have a family of my own, but I have a crazy, magic, powerful, loving gang of people I would die for. And I did die for them.<br/>It took 3 months for us to find you after the crash, we heard about the stones and has our suspicions about you being enhanced, but until I visited you we had no idea of your….capabilities’</p><p>I wince slightly</p><p>‘But’ she continues ‘Stark thinks there might be a possibility there is a connection between us’ </p><p>I raise an eyebrow ‘Like telepathy’</p><p>‘Kind of, because we both died pretty much and the soul stone brought us back to life there is a part of it in both if us, so if those parts are still connected so are, we’ she explains</p><p>‘Can we try it?’ I ask simply ‘If I try to open yours, I think that would be best because I have it in my body for certain’</p><p>‘Im not going to take offense that I can’t shoot sparkles out of my fist, but I don’t see why not’</p><p>‘Okay, here we go’ I say </p><p>‘wait-how do I actually do this?’ I add after a pause-cutting into someone’s mind isn’t really an average nine to five.</p><p>‘I don’t know, I don’t think it’s ever been done before-I think you reach out, like you do to split or get into your dawn diary and ask to be let in’</p><p>‘Okay’ I take deep breath and close my eyes, reaching through my dawn to connect to something out there. After a few seconds I begin to feel a muffled, even thudding</p><p>Boom boom, boom boom<br/>A heart beat</p><p>‘I think I’ve got your heat beat Nat, get ready, I’m going to try and come in’</p><p>I reach out softly and slip into her mind, as if knocking on the door I gently reach out again, asking for permission.</p><p>‘welcome’ I hear an untraceable voice whisper softly. I can vaguely see the training room still but in my mind’s eye I am transported to a high vault ceilinged chamber, with a glowing gold energy core in the centre</p><p>‘Okay Nat’ I think hard ‘I’m going to name 3 random things then drop out because I’m getting a headache, and if you know them after we’ll know it’s worked’</p><p>‘Okay’ a Natasha-like voice whispers</p><p>‘Oranges, Nano-technology and Google’ I recite, trying to recite the most unpredictable things.</p><p>Then I let go of all my bonds and drop</p><p>I fall to the floor with a thud gasping for air</p><p>‘It’s okay, it’s okay you did great, just breath with me’ Nat reassures me, prompting me to take deep breaths</p><p>‘Did’ gasp ‘you’ gasp ‘get the’ gasp ‘words?’ I question and she nods slowly</p><p>‘I felt voice in my head life you were asking permission, so I let you in, you explained what you were going to do then recited the words and left’</p><p>‘and the words were’ I ask with bated breath</p><p>‘Oranges, Nanotechnology and Google’ the spy states and I suddenly hug her</p><p>‘They were right I guess’ she laughs, giving me a squeeze back</p><p>‘Yes, yes, yes. We can work so well now, if either of us ever gets in trouble or caught we can see where we are, what’s going on. I can see int your missions so you don’t have to carry a pager and take risks, I can see you work and train and learn from you’ I gush, overexcited at the endless possibilities of your joint minds</p><p>‘no’ Nat says suddenly. I look at her </p><p>‘no’ she repeats, quietly </p><p>‘I can’t have you see my side of the job; I still do things… I get sent on missions that only end one way. Fury tasks me with these. My skill set is still very… specific but I cannot let the things I see hurt you.<br/> I don’t want you to have to see the light leave someone’s eyes and the hope leave their soul. I can’t let you see the way to kill. You deserve better than the things I have to do. So no, unless I can deny you permission at some points, I will not allow it unless we can close the connection from both ends. Unless I have equal control’</p><p>‘Okay’ I agree quietly after a moment thinking ‘давай изменим мир, супер мама’ (lets change the world supermom)</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Stark can never be right, ballet flashbacks</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Nat and Red tell the group about their new powers. <br/>TW: during the end for Red Room flashbacks</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>‘So, I was right?’ </p><p>‘No Stark, you were not right you just weren’t wrong… Nat and I’s connection isn’t just telepathy, we can see through each other’s eyes, get a sense of location and talk to each other-so yes I suppose telepathy but also we can see things from each other’s past, so I could tell you what you saw when you looked at your phone last, or a memory from when you were 3’ I counter having learnt to never, ever tell Stark he was right-you would regret it.</p><p>Nat and I were in the sitting room, having managed to somehow wrangle (via food bribe) all the team, Fury and Maria into paying attention. Having spent the last week practicing we were sure our connection could work and was reliable over a little distance-so far the longest we’d tried was me describing a worker on the ground floor and talking a photo for evidence to Nat in her room on the 100th floor and it had worked perfectly. From then we’d gone onto standing in front of the collage wall (something we’d started after London, sticking all the best newspaper articles about us to the walls in an art deco vibe) and staring hard at the reports, the other could get a clear photo in their minds eye and guess the right one.</p><p>‘so, you guys can read each other’s-and our-minds’ Bruce looks worries</p><p>‘Yes, but no’ Nat explains, ‘Only Iris can read minds, look into people’s head and talk to them. I’m the only person she can see through or locate, however others can think about the description their surroundings, I can just show pictures’’ Nat explains<br/>‘Peter, can I try on you’ I ask gently. His eyes widen</p><p>‘Yes, well, no, I mean maybe…’ he trails off awkwardly</p><p>‘Don’t worry’ I laugh ‘All ill see is, say, what you are thinking right now at the moment I go in, so if you think about 3 clear random things I think I could name them’</p><p>Again his eyes widen ‘O.. k…ay..’ he stammers. Everyone looks hesitant<br/>I take a deep breath and drop into soul.<br/>So many heart beats,<br/>I reach out slowly connecting to Peters’ brain</p><p>‘Hey Spidey’ I can feel him jolt ‘Its okay it only me, I’m going to take a dig around, if you want me to stop just think no and ill drop out, okay?’ I question lightly, feeling is heartrate rise </p><p>‘yes, that fine’ he replies, I smile and slowly let myself become engulfed in his thoughts</p><p>‘Hey Pete, think some random things and I’ll read them’</p><p>Saucers flash into my view-tea cups and saucers ‘I drink tea darling’ flashes through but im worried now-his pulse is still high and climbing</p><p>‘Peter you’re doing into sensory over load, so just breathe deeply, I’m dropping out’ I say and leave his thoughts</p><p>‘I drink tea darling’ I state, the living room coming back into focus. Peter stares</p><p>‘You…you… read that’ he gasps, the others look confused</p><p>‘Yep’ I state-happy it had worked ‘I could read everyone’s thoughts in 10 seconds, if I weren’t gentle or asked permission’ I laugh at their shocked faces</p><p>‘Relax I don’t want to know what going on in Tony’s head’ rolling my eyes I turn to Val</p><p>‘Can I try reading your thoughts-as an animal?’ I waggle my eyebrows</p><p>‘Fine’ she fakes annoyance ‘come here Elskan’ I snuggle on the sofa beside her and we spend the next hour eating pizza, me reading minds, Peter and Shuri planning a Prank (yes I did mind-crash their prank planning telepathically and lets just say Clint will not be happy with the amount of pink glitter we are using)</p><p>As the sunsets around us and the lights of the city turn on through the glass panelled wall I look around at my new family. Carol and Fury laughing about Cats and Flerkens, Clint, Thor and Bruce talking about Jane and stars or something, Tony and Pepper discussing colleges with Peter and Maria and Nat curled up together mirroring Val and I.</p><p>I think back to what Natasha said and we do, we do have a crazy, magic, powerful, loving gang of people I would die for, and they are Earths Mightiest Heroes.</p><p>I smile to myself as I open my connection with Nat. She locks eyes with me across the room and nods, I let myself in</p><p>Nat: Hey мой ребенок’<br/>Me: Hey<br/>Nat: Whatcha here for<br/>Me: just happy<br/>Nat: good, I am too<br/>Me: Thank you supermum<br/>Nat: For what?<br/>Me: For everything</p><p>***</p><p>That night when the nightmares return to Natasha, she know what to do. Making a small stop at the kitchen she sneaks down to the training room; to the section with a barre and mirror and lets the pain engulf her like music.</p><p>Tchaikovsky rings in her ear. A simple three four count high piano and a smattering of violin. Her feet ache with sores underneath the satin shoes, her legs and arms stinging with each turn and leap. But she revels in the pain.</p><p>If Natasha ever had something constant in her life, something that stayed regardless of the love or trouble that slammed her in the face it would be dance.<br/>Natasha loved it. The beauty, the pain. Where suffering met art and love erupted in the blood shed when she fell over that edge. She's used to the pain by now, she has the Red Room to thank for that. She was taught to rely on no-one. Only herself. herself and her strength.</p><p>So, when she finally found family, a job, a team, that warmth and dare she say acceptance felt undeserved. Foreign.<br/>Nat catches sight of herself in the mirror and tales another gulp of the alcohol before throwing the flask to the ground. She pulls the headphones on and allows the music to swallow her thoughts, letting her eyelids flicker shut. Her limbs move like liquid silver, her body following each movement with a perfect fluidity</p><p>'Again'<br/>Madame shouts from her place by the fire place.<br/>One of the twenty-eight girls left-</p><p>The memory comes in a flash, Nat shuts her eyes as the world spins around her</p><p>'Again'<br/>She holds the knife to the girl in the girl sleeping next to her, the blade held strongly against her throat. The 10-year-old girl forces her friend to take her last breath. A guttural scream fills the air as she snaps her hand backwards.</p><p>Suddenly it all becomes to much, memories engulf her, pulling her back into her past. The thing she hates so much about herself.</p><p>‘Again’ Madame yelling as she suffocates a grown man<br/>‘Again’ The surgeon calling her into surgery<br/>‘Again’ The handcuffs snap into place and the pain returns<br/>‘again, again, again, ag-</p><p>smash</p><p>Her fist smashes into the mirror. When her hand comes away from the glass, it’s slick with blood as broken shards cut into her skin. She pulls a piece of glass out from between her knuckles and watches the redness flow down her wrist. <br/>The sound of her heart hammering behind her ribcage fills her ears until the thumping is so loud it hurts. She’s suddenly aware of the way she struggles for every breath, gasping for air. Everything blurs, and before she can catch herself, she’s falling to the floor. Natasha barely registers the shadow at the door before her vision goes black. Memories racing under her eyelids suffocating her, engulfing her in the nightmare of being a weapon</p><p>Trust no one.</p><p>You have no friends.</p><p>You need no friends.</p><p>Friends make you weak.</p><p>Friends make you stupid</p><p>Friends will get you killed.</p><p>There is only you, you and your strength.</p><p>You have no place in this world.</p><p>Black Widow. Natalia Alianova Romanova. Natasha Romanoff. Natalie Rushman. Nicole Right. Naomi Roberts. So many fractured pieces, but all holding one truth above everything—you have no place in this world.</p><p>***</p><p>I hear Natasha get out of bed and sneak down from the kitchen to the training room, I cant sleep either, maybe she’ll like the company I think slipping down the stairs like a shadow.</p><p>As I reach the door it is clear she wouldn’t. She is dancing, dancing with a beauty a fluidity and love that I have only ever seen in her laugh, when her eyes light up with happiness. As I watch she reaches down taking a swig from a bottle and then climbing back onto pointe, a small smear of blood stains the floor were she rested her foot.</p><p>Then she if off again, twisting, turning spinning to the invisible music inside her head. Suddenly she falters, eyes clouded with worry as she catches a glimpse of herself in the mirror. And I see a tear run down the ide of her face, firsts clenched at her side pushing through into a jete a leap then stopping poised, entire weight on the toes of a single foot, her index finger twitches and she falls again, dropping off pointe to demi, wrapping her arms around herself as if fighting it fighting whatever demons are haunting her love. Then a flick of the wrist, she whimpers, tears running freely down her face unnoticed as she takes another swig, loosing herself in art until</p><p>Crack</p><p>Even I didn’t see it coming, her shoulder flies back in a milisecond, fist connecting to shatter the strong mirror showing her her faults, her disappointments.</p><p>The cracks remains are smeared with the blood now dripping down her wrist, she stares at it for a second, eyes empty, a haunted version of their usual emeralds before dropping to the ground, like a swallow shot from it’s fight flight.</p><p>I carry her up to the Medbay but leave before Dr Cho can see me. No one needs to know about the way she danced like she had lost everything, none needs to know about the mirror I painstakingly repaired, no one needs to know about the faint stain of the blood still marking the training room floor, even after an hour of scrubbing. Noone needs to know Natasha Romanoff could be weak.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>comments, kudos and prompts for any fics appreciated, feel free to put anything below even if its just a 'hi'</p><p>stay safe and wear masks x</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. explanations</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A few weeks later I walk into the kitchen on Saturday to so strange sight.</p><p>Shuri and Peter have obviously had another Star Wars marathon and were on the sofa dead asleep. Sketched plans for a BB-8 robot litter the floor among popcorn kernels and water bottles.</p><p>‘This is sad’ I state, standing in front of the sleeping teens smiling</p><p>‘FRIDAY play despacito on full volume’ Despacito glares out of the speakers, even I put my hands over my ears. Peter reacts almost instantly, flipping up and crouching-yes crouching on the ceiling. Shuri somehow doesn’t even twitch</p><p>‘Jesus Red, you scared the spider out of me’ Peter exclaims jumping down and flopping back onto the couch</p><p>‘FRIDAY stop, and invent Protocol STE-Save the Eardrums, preventing Red form playing anything at full volume’ He rubs his temples and shakes Shuri</p><p>‘Come on Shuri wake up-you ready to create bb-8?’ he asks, obviously excited. The Princess groans something and slowly stands up stretching</p><p>‘yesses lets go’ she yawns, I narrow my eyes</p><p>‘When was the las time you guys a) slept properly b) ate a square meal c)wash or change your clothes?’ Shuri rolls her eyes</p><p>‘Well today is Saturday… so 4 weeks ago on Wednesday-Lets go Spidey’ and they run off, still half asleep to the lab.</p><p>The kitchen is empty now-Steve ad Nat are away on a mission and have been for 2 weeks, they are expected back soon though, Nat and I planned to communicate during this time but I’ve had all my exams so have been cramming, eating or pestering Dr Banner, Clint has gone home for a break, Tony has locked himself in his lab making a present for Pepper. And Val and Thor left a few days ago for Asgard, and his yearly kingly rubbish. Leaving only Me, Shrui, Peter, Banner (poor dude being stuck with us) and Carol. I eat slowly and head down to the training room. After a sold couple of hours, I am exhausted but at 7pm FRIDAY makes an announcement that make me grin</p><p>‘Good evening Red, Agent Romanoff and Rogers have arrived back, Agent Romanoff is in the gun range and Steve is making his way up here’ It’s been a month since the ballet incident. We have never talked about it, beither of us want to, I think she knows it was me who saw her, but her eyes have never been haunted since, they twinkle with love and laughter and sometimes threat when she is loosing Pictionary. I grin and get ready to go down and</p><p>‘Thanks FRIDAY’ I run all the way down the stairs and take a deap breath before sneaking int the range. Nat is standing stiffly, headphones latched on, arms out firing shot after shot after shot. Switching hands after 3 bulls’ eyes. But there’s something wrong with her stance. She looks more tired, more hurt, more anxious and at unease. I sneak up behind her and tap her on the shoulder.</p><p>‘Hey’ In a second the headphones have been ripped off and I am being hurled across the room, too quickly for me to react. A knife is held strongly to my throat. Nat’s eyes stare into mine but they are empty emotionless and cold. They widen as they see what they’ve done and push me away</p><p>‘Ooh my God Red, I’m so sorry, don’t sneak up in me like that’ Tears have filled her eyes, I’ve never seen Nat cry useless its from the nightmares, but with her eyes so empty and a knife at my throat she terrifies me.</p><p>‘It…its okay… i… im going to….go now’ I stammer out and run out of the room. I hear a sob as the door slams behind me</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>Nat's POV</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>I pulled some weeds and left some flowers. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>I think back to those words I said to Steve at the funeral of Peggy Carter. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>I didn’t except to find a family; I didn’t except to be welcomed or forgiven. I just wanted to kill the people that had hurt me. That had turned me into their pawn, into their weapon. Going home was a big decision, it wasn’t my home really. All I knew about my past was The Red Room, Yelena, killing, handcuffs and graduation. All we were taught was how to be used, how to watch the light drain from someone’s eyes and feel nothing, how to be monsters. And that’s what Red sees me as now. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The mission was not meant to go sideways. Steve and I had been sent out to Germany, Berlin to stop children trafficking. People were kidnapping young kids of 6-13 and they needed to be stopped. Not really particularly difficult mission-until all our enemies were found dead. Shot, from point blank range. No fights, no scabbling no arguments. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Dead. The children were found huddled in the corner, having been given food, water and clothed by the mystery woman. But she was not a mystery to me, I knew that MO. When I had returned to Russia to find my birth parents all I got were two graves linked by a steel chain. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>We have what we have when we have it. But I didnt want to have a past. So I burnt the Red Room to the ground. Standing, in the middle of no-where surrounded by my nightmares I could only feel satisfaction and regret as the flames licked up the concrete walls. They did not catch me. But I left them a note, a simple message. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>A pointe shoe. The inside was stained with blood but was was clear it was a Black Widow’s. I still have the other one now. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>When I ran I felt regret, when I fought I felt regret, when I stood there I f</em>
  <em>elt regret. Regret for leaving the one person that had loved me for Nat not Widow. I had left Yelena, but now I had found her. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Standing there in the abandoned warehouse, surrounded by bodies and children my past came rushing up-not to meet me but to punch me in the face. ‘she was tall’ ‘had a mask on’ ‘was wearing white’ The children were telling the officers ‘they didn’t see her until she smiled at them’ </em>
</p><p>
  <em>God how I missed that smile. It was Yelena who had taught me how to smirk. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The cold, hard smile of an empty killer, who knew they would be the last person you would see. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Steve handled the rest. I had to leave, I had to run again, run again like a coward.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>I bite my lip anxiously waiting outside Nat’s room, she doesn’t hear me this time I am practised. I debate going in but settle for a safer approach I drop into soul with practised ease almost instantly pulling the string that leads to Nat.</p><p>Her heart rate is high and nervous and I can feel her shallow breath. She lets me in without complaint</p><p>
  <em>Me: Im sorry </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Nat: For what </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Me: For scaring you in the range, I shouldn’t have crept up on you </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Nat: That’s okay kid, its my fault, I shouldn’t have nearly stabbed you </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Me: It’s fine, what is life without a little stabbage </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Nat: Happy. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Me: What’s the matter супер-мама </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Nat: I’m fine Me: If you could see me I’m rolling my eyes right now </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Nat: I’ll be okay Red </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Me: It was your past wasn’t it </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Nat: What </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Me: It rushed up to meet you </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Nat: Punched me in the gut is more like it (Long pause) </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Me: I’m not reading your thoughts right now, so you can consider talking to me safely if you like </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Nat: That’s okay </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Me: Please Nat </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Nat: …Did I ever tell you I had a sister?... </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Me: I have an aunt? </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Nat: Yelena Belova; best thing ever to happen to me </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Me: Did you meet in the Red Room? </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Nat: She gave me scraps from her dress to wrap around my wrist, so the handcuffs didn’t hurt too much </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Me: I’m so sorry Nat </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Nat: It’s not your fault </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Me: No, but I’m still sorry you had to go through that. If I ever found those people I would burnt them to the ground </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Nat: I already have </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Me: Wait what? </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Nat: A few years ago, we released all SHEILD files to the internet, it was the only option. All my covers, all my identities, all the fronts I can hide behind gone. So, I went away, to try and find a new me. I went to Russia, to find my birth parents. I found two gravestones so I pulled some weeds and left some flowers-they deserved more, but I couldn’t give it to them. We have what we have when we have it But I had to change the future. No more kidnapping, no more child weapons, no more graduation or handcuffs </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Me: So you burnt the Red Room down? </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Nat: Exactly. It had been failing since I managed to leave. Many girls had been trying to follow my footsteps. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>They were, they were hung, the noose was just long enough that if they stood on pointe they could breathe. They were left for 5 days until all 17 girls were dead from snapped ankles, or asphyxiation or crushed toes. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>All dead because of me. Because they fought for a life worth living. I heard that Yelena has escaped, she was the only one other than me who did. I had never been prouder. Standing there, as my past fell in a heap of flames, well, I would have given anything for her to be beside me. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Squeezing my hand </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Me: She would have been so proud your you too. Of what you’ve become </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Nat: I still have Red on my leger</em>
</p><p>
  <em> Me: No you do not Natasha. You have turned you life around. You are doing good, you are helping. You have saved the world</em>
</p><p>
  <em> Nat: You don’t understand. No one does, what I did, what they did to us isn’t going to go away. Yelena was and is the only person that can understand the things that happened and how they affect us </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Me: So its obvious what we need to do </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Nat: Don’t say movie marathon </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Me: Find her, you can talk to her, let her belong, let her join our family (silence) </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Me: Would you like me to come in? </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Nat: I’ll be fine, I’ve got some thinking to do </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Me: no handcuffs though </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Nat: you know it</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Sisters</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>we finally meet Yelena</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A few days later Nat shares her mission with the team.</p><p>‘you have a sister, and you never told us?’ Clint asks disbelieving</p><p>‘Well, I’m not the most open person you’re ever going to meet. And you kept your wife and kids secret for years’ She shoots back smirking</p><p>After a long discussion they agree to support us. Us. Nat asked if I would like to come late one night and I was over joyed. I will not be in the meeting, but there via soul, able to listen in and call for help if necessary. But keeping my distance. After it is all arranged I go to find Clint.</p><p>I know the murder twins as Steve calls them are close. Clint was the Agent sent o kill Nat after she left the Red Room, but made a different call. I tap quiet on the door and let myself in after a quiet ‘enter’</p><p>After some small talk I just want an explanation</p><p>Clint sighs 'You want to know why they were so close?’</p><p>‘Yes’ I nod, ‘I think that if Nat wants to leave I need sufficient reasons to make her stay’</p><p>Clint nods ‘fine. Yelena was only 5 when here parents were killed. She was small and skinny and was sent to the Red Room, the other girls tried to bully her for her age and size but Nat stepped in. At this point they were almost the same age, but Nat had been there for as long as she could remember, which we now know was the age of 3’</p><p>Clint sighs sadly, but I can’t even imagine what it would have been like for her. To have been ripped from her parents at such a young age then abused in so many ways.</p><p>‘They got close, both were seen as deadly and lonely. Nat wouldn’t let them bully her, she used to get in so many fights for her, she was forced to fight for years before Lena came, but when she did come Natasha actually found a reason to fight’</p><p>‘So she took her in as her sister?’ I ask, smiling slightly at the thought of a small protective Natasha finally finding something to love in hell</p><p>‘Pretty much, Natasha took her in, protected her as the leathalist widow, used to break fingers, jaws noses even legs if anyone messed with Lena’ Clint almost laughed ‘Nat once told me about the time Alexis had to take her on a mission-they were 9, but they couldn’t bring Yelena. This older girl-Alexis already hated Nat’</p><p>‘Why did she hate her’ I question</p><p>‘Nat was better at everything. She was the best Black Widow to come out of that program. The girls hated it, but that’s how life worked’</p><p>‘So, Alexis was jealous’ I work out, Clint nods</p><p>‘Yes, but she knew that she couldn’t touch Talia. The last time those two fought, Talia broken her jaw within seconds of them getting on the mat. Another reason she couldn’t get her was because all the trainers and Madame B favored Natasha. Well she didn’t like the other girl either. She believed that her size alone would get her the title, but she was mistaken. Any who, since the girl knew she couldn’t touch Nat’ I cut Clint off</p><p>‘She went after Yelena instead’</p><p>‘Unfortunately. Mind you at this time Nat was 9, Yelena was 8 and Alexis was 11. When Yelena told Natalia what happened, I’m sure all she saw was red’</p><p>‘What happened?’ I ask, causing Clint to chuckle darkly.</p><p>'Let’s just keep it PG and say the girl needed a hospital.’ I cringe at the thought of someone being beaten that badly by a nine-year-old, but then again it was Natasha they were talking about.</p><p>‘So, they’re friends right? Natasha beats people up for her. So, what’s the problem? Why does Lena have a problem with her’ I ask again, confused.</p><p>‘The problem was that Natalia never wanted to stay in the Red Room. They made those girls do horrible things and I’m sure she told you most of it’ I nod before he adds, </p><p>‘Natasha was clever, and smart. After finding her reason she knew what they were doing was wrong and she didn’t want to keep killing. She had always told Yelena they'd make it through together, that shed always be there for her, but Madame would remind Lena everyday she would never be as good as Natasha, even after Lena started to hate her for being the best Nat kept her promise that she would leave one day’</p><p>***</p><p>So we leave. Fury gives his best wishes. We bid Maria and Val a fond farewell and Carol accompanies us on take-off, but half an hour into the flight we are alone. And terrified</p><p>‘Are you scared Nat’ I ask quietly, sitting next to her as she flies then quin jet confidently</p><p>‘Yes’ is all she says, but she looks calm, cool and collected ‘I’m just good at hiding it’</p><p>I raise my eyebrow, she definitely is.</p><p>‘Nothing ventured, nothing gained’ is all she adds and I feel like that’s the end of the conversation.</p><p>That night we check into a rundown B’n’b about a 5 minute run from the place Yelena is said to be staying.</p><p>Ella and Monica Rushman check in, but Red and Nat flop onto the bed, tired after a day of planning stressing and flying.</p><p>The next morning is different. We are both nervous and I hug Nat slightly tighter than normal when she leaves to visit her sister. I pace the room for a few minutes before I feel Nat calling me.</p><p>Finally</p><p>‘What up dude’ I state flopping down on the bed and closing my eyes, concentrating hard to transport me to Nat’s mind. </p><p>‘Hey’ is all I get, and the connection opens up, in my minds eye I can see, see what Nat can. She is walking upstairs, that would usually creak and groan under someone’s weight but remains still for the spy.</p><p>‘its going to be okay Nat’ is all I can offer, but I am greeted with silence. After a few seconds I cant help myself</p><p>‘You walk really slowly you know?’ I get a fake annoyed sigh in return</p><p>‘The stairs here are like foghorns, even if she is asleep which I doubt she will most likely all ready know im coming, but I still want the element of surprise’ At last she pauses outside a slightly opened door. </p><p>Room 405 floor 7. High enough to get thrown off.</p><p>‘Its agar, she must have know I was coming so opened it so I could be quieter’ Nat thinks and I agree silently</p><p>A gun is pulled into my vision</p><p>‘a gun, really Nat-she’s your sister’ I question</p><p>‘shooting each other is practically our way of saying hello-like that stupid handshake Shuri and T’Challa do’ I roll my eyes, then remember she cant see me</p><p>‘Good Luck, Im on standby but I’ll remain quiet for now. I refuse to drop out but I will cut off visual if you want’ is all I say</p><p>‘Okay’ Nat takes a deep breath ‘Here goes nothing’</p><p>The apartment appears abandoned. Slightly messy and disorganized not visibly assassin like. Nat slowly stalks through going into the hall, then lounge, then bathroom, then bedroom then finally to the doorway to the kitchen</p><p>‘Kitchen is where knives are kept’ I warn her as she enters</p><p>‘Yes’ Nat replies simply ‘That’s why women live longer than men’</p><p>‘Not what I mean but yes I love that’ is all I can reply before I am cut off by the sound of a gun cocking</p><p>‘I know you’re out there’ a heavily accented Russian voice calls</p><p>‘I know you know I’m out here’ Nat’s voice seems light and extremally American all of a sudden</p><p>Suddenly she turns the corner and directly opposite her stands a woman.</p><p>Yelena is medium height, almost identical build but with a softer features and blonde hair. Her eyes are blue-green and seem to hypnotize Nat. But her looks aren’t the only things mirrored. A gun is pointed directly at Nat’s chest.</p><p>‘So, we gunna talk like grown-ups’ is all Nat says</p><p>‘Is what we are?’ Yelena counters. I can’t believe my eyes, two sisters, who have gone through living hell together, killed together and they greet each other with snide comments and guns.  </p><p>They turn slowly, like wolves stalking their prey before in a spilt second Yelena flashes forwards, reaching to snatch the gun out of Nat’s hands, she counters the attack and the next second they are turning again, guns cocked and aimed, but exchanged hands.<br/>They move and kick, mirroring each other perfectly smashing their feet into the other arms.</p><p>Then Yelena grabs a knife, guns on the floor-forgotten. She surges forward slashing and Nat stumbles back, avoiding the blows with ease. Then she rolls, grabbing a weapon then her sister by the neck. She struggles for a second before kicking off the counter and they both fall back onto each other, Nat landing a kick to send her sister sprawling away from her but smashing foot through the glass of a door.</p><p>They get up slowly, chests heavily and study each other, taking in the smashed glass, guns and knives</p><p>‘Hello Sister’ Is all Nat can say</p><p>The kettle starts whistling</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Comments kudos and prompts appreciated<br/>feel free to drop a message down below even if its just a little 'hi!'</p><p>stay safe and wear masks x</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Walking out</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Natasha and Yelena talk</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>‘I tell people my sister moved up West. <br/>You are a science teacher, Your husband-he renovates houses’ </p><p>Yelena recites, smiling softly and offering Nat a cup of coffee <br/>‘You are thinking about moving but waiting for the interest rates to go down.’ </p><p>‘That’s not my story’ Nat laughs taking a glug of coffee</p><p>‘I know’ Yelena replies, tilting her head slightly ‘you are special, you have had your second chance and done well, you have-what is the phrase you love so much- wiped out the red on your leger’</p><p>‘no’ Nats reply is sharp ‘My leger is dripping red and you know that, even dying does not erase the deaths I caused’ Yelena frowns<br/>‘Natalia, we did what we had to do to be standing here today, free and happy. You have found a purpose and I could not be happier for you. But there is no more red. You are free.’</p><p>Slowly Yelena reaches out and takes Nat’s hand, covering it sightly with her own</p><p>‘Im not Natalia anymore-you know that. I’m Natasha Romanoff. They owned Natalia’ she whispers but Yelena shakes her head</p><p>‘No one owns Natalia Alianovna Yelena Romanova-Belova not even fire and water can control her’ she replies </p><p>Nat tilts her head up looking straight into Yelenas eyes</p><p>‘Only Yelena Svoboda Natalia Belova-Romanova can stop me when I want to do something’</p><p>‘Probably something stupid’ Yelena adds smirking.</p><p>Her smirk is identical to Nats, but not totally filled with happiness. Yet.</p><p>***</p><p>‘You want me to leave?’ Is all Yelena has to say</p><p>‘Yes’ Nat replies, they are still sitting opposite each other, coffee abandoned in some sort of Russian staring contest</p><p>‘Это никогда не будет моим домом, Наталья, никогда не будет по-настоящему принадлежать мне. Но я не могу просто уйти. это место показало мне, как измениться, стать новым человеком, пойти по твоим стопам и найти цель’ Yelena says sadly, standing up as if to go (This will never be my home, Natalya, it will never truly belong to me. But I can't just walk away)</p><p>‘нет, Лена, подожди’ (no Lena wait) Nat cried out, she sounds so desperate ‘I lost you once before-I left you once before and I will not let it happen again. I am staying by your side’</p><p>The blonde turns as she reaches the door and smiles<br/>‘Наталья. Мы вместе жили в аду. Я никогда не был так счастлив, как в тот день, когда нам сказали, что тебя нет.<br/>Что ваше место может предложить мне, чего у меня здесь нет?<br/>Вот у меня квартира, работа какая-то, место охранять’</p><p>‘Home, a family, a place you can be loved, a sister who loves you’ I can feel tears welling up in my eyes-no, wait Nat’s eyes. A few seconds later she speaks again</p><p>‘Do you want to hit me’ she sighs</p><p>Yelena laughs ‘Of course I do, you’re an idiot.’</p><p>‘Lena I-‘ Nat starts</p><p>‘No, Natalia, let me speak’ the blonde states and Nat shuts up quickly</p><p>‘You just keep doing stupid shit’ Yelena said shaking her head, trying not to cry, especially in front of her sister, even though she had just broken down ‘You don’t think before you do anything. You are my sister, you saved me and protected me, but you left. You left me twice, you left me once and the world once. You said you’d always be there for me and you weren’t!’ </p><p>‘I don’t regret it. I don’t regret leaving you, or dying-I came back’ the redhead smiles softly</p><p>‘What if you didn’t come back? What is you had stayed? Then you would have wasted your life for nothing!’ Yelena isn’t even trying to keep calm anymore, she is angry, angry for the person who saved her to have left without a second glance</p><p>‘Well it was worth a try’ Nat smirks</p><p>‘Do you not hear yourself?’ Lena sighs</p><p>‘I do. I don’t regret it and if it didn’t work then it was worth a try’</p><p>Yelena stared at her in disbelief before letting out an annoyed sigh and turned to look out the tiny window, ‘You’re a stupid sister’</p><p>‘Two stupid sisters together’ The blonde said nothing about her comment, but instead chose to focus on her breathing and not letting the tears fall too fast.</p><p>‘I missed you’ Natasha says softly after a few moments.</p><p>‘If you did, you wouldn’t have left… again’ The younger looks at her. Yelena knew she being mean, but seeing the hurt look on her sister’s face, caused the blonde to soften her face.</p><p>‘You promised me that you would never leave me’ Lena whispers</p><p>‘It’s not like I wanted to and-‘</p><p>‘But you did! Every time something happens with the world, you leave. For once can you say fuck the world and think about yourself? Your family? Me?’</p><p>Natasha stays silent for a while and Yelena doubts herself slightly, she’d definitely hit a nerve, and as Natasha’s mouth turns crooked in a little smirk that doesn’t reach her eyes she regrets her words</p><p>‘Everything I do I do for you, you were my world, you were my little sister, the one I always held, the one I always loved. I only left so I could build a life for you, for us. I just wanted to get my life together, to leave the past so that I could come back and get you. I though you might have liked a nice place to live so I rented a flat. I thought you might like to live, to go to school so I worked. Everything I did, I did so that I would be in a position to come back. To save you. I didn’t want you to be there when I was on the street trying to work, or when I was in reprogramming, having to reline every pain they caused me. I wanted to be in a secure enough place so that I could provide you with everything you wanted, everything you needed, and deserved.<br/>Then weird crap like aliens come out of the sky and I risk my life for you. I risk it because without me doing that there may not be a world for you to live in. I cant stop that-god I wish I could tell aliens to give me a day off but I cant. Then a giant purple grape wants to snap half of the universe away. Half of everything. You could die. I could be snapped. Billions of people could die-just cease to be living. I didn’t think id have to die, I didn’t think I’d have to have a conversation with my best friend about whose going to kill themselves but I couldn’t let Clint do it. It was me or him. Me or billions of people.<br/>When I was falling I thought about everyone and I knew that even if I wasn’t there, you guys would be and that’s what made falling so worth it’</p><p>Natasha stopped to take a breath, and wipe the tears that she didn’t know were falling, <br/>‘So for the hundredth time, I’m sorry for sacrificing myself because I love everyone. I’m sorry that you felt as if I left you again. I’m sorry that I loved you so much that I left the only life I knew, and the only family I knew to start my life in a country, that our government hated, because I loved you enough to want to give you a better life Yelena’</p><p>The red head reached for the door handle and opened the door slightly before looking back her little sister, ‘Sorry that loving you makes me do stupid things’</p><p>And with that Nat walks out of her sisters life.<br/>Again.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Coming home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Yelena regrets her decision, Natasha talks about her death.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Yelena</p><p>Yelena sighed as she scanned through the block of flats, looking for Natasha. Although their fight was only hours ago it felt as if she hasn’t seen the red head in forever. I walk slowly down the corridor and almost walk into a young woman. She looks at me, as if she knows or recognizes me and then smiles sadly.</p><p>‘Room 405, she’s waiting for you’ Is all she says, flashing her right pink hair as she tries to turn away</p><p>‘Why are you telling me this?’ is all I can stammer out-how does this girl know, who is she? The mystery smiles again</p><p>‘She is sitting in our room crying, you just boke her hope, her heart and if you don’t do something to fix this then you will have the Avengers, SHEILD and three very pissed off enhanced teenagers after you’ then she smirks-I recognize it-it mirror’s Nats smirk</p><p>‘Enjoy’ and she walks off, where I don’t know but I also don’t care for now.</p><p>I walk slowly up to room 405, and pause at the door. I don’t think this is a trap, I think whoever she was wanted Nat to be happy, and that scarers me. I walk in</p><p>***</p><p>‘There you are’ Yelena says, as if nothing had happened, Natasha is sitting on the bed, her legs up on the wall, staring blankly at the ceiling. The blonde sighs slightly at being ignore but just sits on the bed next to her, lying on her back and staring at the cracked plaster above</p><p>‘I didn’t mean to snap at you’ she tries ‘I just… its all sudden, and im upset’</p><p>‘I know’ Nat says quietly</p><p>‘You just do stupid shit’ Yelena dives in, curling sideways on the bed to look at her sister ‘The stupid shit you do affects a lot of people you know’</p><p>‘I know’ Nat states ‘I’ve been told’</p><p>‘I’m sorry for snapping at you’ Yelena repeats again</p><p>‘I’m surprised you didn’t hit me.” Natasha says with a laugh.</p><p>‘I don’t think that your new family would like me if I caused you pain’</p><p>‘Like you could hurt me мраморная девушка’ Nat laughs softly, remembering the nickname she’d given Lena after her sister had been worried she wasn’t tough enough</p><p>‘How did it feel’ Yelena asks softly ‘You know… when you…’</p><p>‘It felt…’ Nat starts, but stops, noones ever asked that before, only if she was okay, or how she was feeling at the current time<br/>‘It felt like I was alive, living, falling, finally free’</p><p>‘Free?’</p><p>‘Yes, it felt like I was free’</p><p>‘Free from what?’</p><p>‘Everything’ before her sister could say anything, Natasha put her hand up, ‘I’m grateful for everything I have. My friends, my family, and a place I can call home; but whenever something bad happened I feel like ive lost, lost the fight, lost another battle. Even with all the good I’ve done, most people only saw the bad I’ve done. All the killing and stealing’. So, to answer your question when I was falling, I felt free. Free of blame, free of heartbreak, free of disappointing people, being the broken one’<br/>Yelena doesn’t know what to say. Ever since she managed to escape shes been her main priority, keep herself moving, keep herself safe, keep herself alive. She takes a deep breath.</p><p>‘You are never and have never been a disappointment Natalia. If people cant see the fact you carry the world on your shoulders then fuck those people. You’ve saved the world. Think of all those people who will grow up because of you, or all those little girls and women who will grow up in a slightly more equal world because of you fighting, who are inspired by your story. I go into the supermarket and I see my sister alongside gods and billionaires as a tiny little action figure. It’s pretty cool’ </p><p>Nat laughs softly ‘Thank you Lena’</p><p>‘No problem, now we need to talk about flights’ the blonde said with a smile, causing Natasha to laugh, it was good to have her sister back.</p><p>‘So your coming home?’</p><p>‘No, I’m coming to your home’</p><p>***</p><p>I walk back into our room to a strange sight. Nat and Yelena lying on their backs on the bed, staring at the cracked ceiling. For a second I wonder if they are talking telepathically-then I remember only I can open conversations.</p><p>I slip into soul, not wanting to disturb the sisters, unless they are okay</p><p>Hey Nat, I’m outside, can I come in?</p><p>Sure Red</p><p>I pad in softly</p><p>‘Pleasure to meet you Ms Belova’ I say quietly and the Russian no.2 spins around and somehow sources a knife from somewhere<br/>‘Jeez Lena, it’s okay, Red here is a friend’ I don’t let myself flinch under her gaze, just smile slightly and stick out my hand</p><p>‘Hello’ the Blonde says uncertainly shaking it</p><p>‘Good, Red here is an enhanced teen Avenger, she lives at the tower with us all and, well, was also subject to the Soul Stone so we share some sort of telepathic connection’</p><p>Yelena raises an eyebrow, than appears to realize something</p><p>‘You were in the meeting were you not?’ she asks, sitting don on the bed again. I sigh, theres no use lying</p><p>‘Yes, however I was here in this room.’ She looks at me weirdly</p><p>‘Why did you think you had to listen in?’ I am slightly stumped on this question</p><p>‘I had to make sure both you and Nat didn’t do anything stupid, I also needed to be able know your location if you decided to kill each other’ Lena frowns at me and I cower slightly-I can see how similar to Nat she is. Then the blonde suddenly smiles</p><p>‘Nice to meet you’</p><p>***</p><p>The flight home is long and slightly boring, I spend the whole time explaining the residents of the tower-who they are, how they are related and what their names are</p><p>‘So there is tony Stark’ I explain slowly</p><p>‘Iron Man’ Lena replies ‘Pseudo father, has tried to adopt everyone at least once’</p><p>‘Yep, Steve Rogers’</p><p>‘Captain America, frozen in ice for 70 years, super soldier’</p><p>‘Bruce Banner’</p><p>‘Hulk and scientist, extremally clever and can be angry’</p><p>‘Yep, Valkyrie’</p><p>‘Brunhilde but will remove your fingers if you call her that. Shapeshifter, heir, warrior flying horse person’ she laughs</p><p>‘sure… that’s close enough, then Peter Parker’</p><p>‘Spiderman and certified Cinnamon bun’ she recites, slightly perplexed, I grin</p><p>‘Yes correct! He will most likely be terrified of you, but that’s okay, he’s scared ofo most people at the start’</p><p>The young woman looks nervous</p><p>‘Don’t worry’ I say quickly ‘I’ll kill anyone that doesn’t like you’ Yelena looks at me appraisingly</p><p>‘You’ve taught her well Natalia’ </p><p>‘Okay’ Nat says, I can tell shes smiling though ‘Get ready for touch down, we are arriving’ the jet begins to drop steadily and I lead Lena over to the window, the tower slowly comes into view, glass windows, huge floors and white panelled with steel reinforcements</p><p>‘wow’ is all Lena says ‘and I thought my apartment was a brag’</p><p>The Avengers are assembled on the lawn as we touch down, Nat gently takes her sisters hand and Yelena talks to her just before the ramp lowers.</p><p>‘спасибо наталья. Я надеюсь, что смогу восстановить здесь свою жизнь. Мне нравится твоя дочка, она милая и светится, когда злится; я думаю, мы будем друзьями’ (thank you natalia. I hope I can restore my life here. I like your daughter, she is sweet and glows when she is angry; I think we'll be friends..)</p><p>Nat smiles softly and squeezes her hand</p><p>‘И я верну свою сестру’ (and I will get my sister back)</p><p>I choose to wait a total of 5 seconds before I add ‘Ненавижу портить момент, но я тоже говорю по-русски. и ты мне тоже нравишься лена’ (I hate to spoil the moment, but I also speak Russian. and I like you too Lena)</p><p>She looks at me, trying to be serious but the glint in her eyes gives her away</p><p>‘And we are also going to talk about the fact you didn’t correct her when she called me your daughter but for now; Lets meet the family’ I laugh and the row of superheroes comes into view.</p><p>Tony Stark is first to step forward, he shakes Lenas hand and meets her glare, wavering slightly under the sapphire blue eyes.<br/>Cap steps forward with some sort of welcome greeting in his PSA voice (I automatically zone out)</p><p>Carol looks Lena up and down thoughtfully ‘welcome to the team’ they say with their signature side smirk</p><p>Thor bellows something about looking like a strong midguardian and trying to lift the hammer and stuff, which Lena politely declines</p><p>Peter stammer out some sort of Miss Belova Black Widow Ms Yelena ma’am and Lena smiles softy at him, then Val runs out of the compound, she transforms into a pegasus (it is faster..) and gallops at us, transforming back at the last minute and engulfing me in a huge bear hug</p><p>‘Elskan, I’ve missed you!’ I squeeze her back and motion to Yelena,</p><p>‘Val this is Yelena Belova, Yelena, this is Val’ Val gives a little wave</p><p>‘hi’ </p><p>Lena has an odd look in her eye-she did just see powers for the first time and says quite simply ‘nice to meet you’</p><p>***</p><p>Dinner that night is one of the best I can remember, after their arrival Nat takes Yelena to show her the room and give her a small tour then they sit on the private sofa and talk and talk and talk and cry a bit (although they never admit it) I suppose 10 years or so is a lot to catch up on.</p><p>I meet with Val and tell her the events of the trip, she grimaces at the fight but has the realization that when they fight, they mirror each other, having been trained in identical ways.</p><p>At dinner I am sat between the murder twins set 1-Clint and Nat (gamora and Nebula, Val and I, Loki and…well anyone make up the other sets) Yelena sits next to Nat and Val is opposite me. Just before we eat Natasha stands up and the table falls silent</p><p>‘I’d just like to say…damn im bad at this… thank you.’ She looks at Clint ‘Thank you for giving me a chance, thank you are letting me belong and work and be part of a new family. And for saving my life more times than I can count’ her eyes rake through each remember of the table ‘and thank you for letting Yelena come, you have no idea what it is like to be sitting here after so many years, next to her in a safe, happy, loving….home… where we can all belong for being us. Not weapons’ she pauses again </p><p>‘And to the fallen. To the ones that can’t stand with us now, but will always be with us’ She looks at tony <br/>‘To Phil Coulson’ again she looks around the table</p><p> ‘to those who lost their lives in the fight against Thanos, to those who were killed in the plane crash that brought Red to our door’ she smiles sadly at me and our tears fall together, mirroring each other. Then she looks at Val </p><p>‘And finally to Astrid’</p><p>The table murmurs in agreement and raises their glasses together, but just before we all start to eat a small voice speaks up</p><p>‘And to Anastasia’ Yelena says, Russian accent and tears grasping on the edge of her words. Nat stares at her, eyes a mixture of hurt, love and loss reflected in her eyes</p><p> </p><p>‘To Anastasia’ she whispers</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Arrows and Vodka</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Iris talks to Clint about Natasha's past</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I just wrote the fluffiest bit for a few chapter time, we just have to get through some hard stuff first</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Afterwards I go and find Clint. I don’t know why I do; I just feel it is necessary for some reason. He is staring out at the skyline on the landing a bottle of vodka in one hand and is fiddling with half of an arrow in the other.</p><p>‘hey’ I all I say as I sit down gently next to him</p><p>‘hey’ he repeats, still staring out into the distance, eyes clouded with something-regret, jealousy, dreams, happiness?</p><p>‘you okay’ I ask gently, tilting my head slightly at the archer, he sighs before replying slowly.</p><p>‘Nat could always drink us under the table’ I’m confused why I need to know this, but he carries on, still clutching the bottle and arrow, staring at the point where the building hit the sky</p><p>‘She always used to tell us it was because she was Russian, but I knew it was something else, she would have to drink 4 entire bottles to get tipsy. It was a running joke with the HIT team. One day I asked her about it. She just stayed silent for a real long time’</p><p> </p><p>-flash back-</p><p> </p><p>There are only two people left in the bar. <br/>An archer and a spy. The spy is on her fourth bottle of vodka and hasn’t said a word, the archer is studying her face, looking for any sign of drunkenness, or weakness. Finally the redhead decides to speak up. Her eyes unfocused but not by alcohol, by memories</p><p> ‘You asked me how come I didn’t get drunk…and I told you it was because I’m Russian’ Yeah, she had. She had always been able to drink him under the table</p><p>‘It’s because of what they did to you, isn’t it?’ He questions, Clint doesn’t know a lot about the Red Room, but what he does haunts him.</p><p>A single nod. Clint swears under his breath</p><p>‘And you don’t know all the details?’</p><p>Another nod.</p><p>‘And no one else at SHIELD knows?’</p><p>How the hell had they missed it? Hadn’t physicals been required? Hadn’t she submitted to numerous tests during the six months she’d been on probation and going through deprogramming after he’s brought her in.</p><p>Natasha looks down at her feet</p><p>‘You lied to them’</p><p>She bit her lip. It was the first tell he’d ever seen her let slip. ‘I didn’t want them to experiment on me, too’</p><p>Then…the idea seemed anathema to Clint. He understood the fear logically, but he trusted SHIELD. </p><p>‘Please don’t tell them.’ She whispers<br/>Please.</p><p>Nat hadn’t said please to him once. Not once since he’d made the call to bring her in.</p><p>How could he tell her no?</p><p>‘Is there anything else I need to know?’</p><p>It was the safest question. Give her back the control that she so needed, control they’d taken from her time and again in the years before—God how many decades had they controlled her? </p><p>“Is there anything else you want me to know?”</p><p>The second question was far more provocative than the first. As sick as he’d been the first time, she described being programmed with new memories for a deep cover sleeper assignment or the worse memories, she could recall the fragments of running away from her handlers, escaping, and a magical week in Paris. Then it was all pain, shocks, and darkness, he hung onto every bit of memory she shared with him. Her trust in him was precious, and he wouldn’t betray it.</p><p>Never</p><p>‘you always treat yourself, don’t you?’ he asks again and she nods, he’d heard report about her, how she vanished halfway through her treatment for getting shot or stabbed even if the bullet went straight through her, how she threatened the nurses that got too close or how she refused to go in certain parts of a hospital.</p><p>‘When they…they experimented on all of us it was in a hospital, or in that part of The Red Room, it was the only time we were allowed a day without training, a single day. We would be injected with serums that light you up from inside out, that tore you open and burned you like a tinder box but all they did was tighten he handcuffs that kept you still and laugh’ a gentle tear rolled down her face and her index finger twitched.</p><p>It had taken a year after he had brought her in for her to let him touch her, even a pat on the arm or ruffle of the hair would bring back that haunted gaze and fast punches.</p><p>It had taken her months to trust him enough, and that told him more than anything how unfamiliar she was with kindness or touch that asked for nothing in return.</p><p>Despite all of it, he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her against him carefully. He decided in that moment that no one would hurt his baby-spider, that no one would pry he secrets from him again, but even as he expected her to push him away, but Nat let him and she leaned into him.</p><p>She terrified him. She’d nearly died multiple times at the hands of needles and collars. But she opened up about a deeply buried secret and she’d cried. Then she’d let him hug her.</p><p>There were few facts he knew about the mysterious woman but he stored them like bars of gold.</p><p>Natalia Alianova Romanova wasn’t twenty-five years old. She hadn’t been born in 1984. She didn’t actually know what her birthdate was. She hated hospitals and medical wards because when she ended up in them, they experimented on her. They injected her with chemicals that turned her inside out. They burned her up like tinder. A lot of times when she came out, she didn’t remember who she was anymore and sometimes it took years to put the pieces back together.</p><p>Most of the pieces didn’t fit. Not anymore.</p><p>***</p><p>When he finished his story there are tears in both our eyes, he looks at me sadly. As he studies me, I notice a fine gold chain slip out from under his top, it is obviously a woman’s; a tiny arrow is embedded in it. He notices he is looking and turn around as he prepares to leave</p><p>‘She always used to wear it on missions or at home, Laura and I gave it to her the first Christmas she came to our farm, the first time her eyes it up when Cooper called her Auntie Tasha. When we were fighting’ his eyes cloud over again with sadness. I had forgotten it was him who he had to let go, him who fought to the death to save millions of people, him who his best friend had begged to fall to her death</p><p>‘I didn’t even see her take it off, she was their hanging off the cliff, saving my life as she fell. I heard her recite something before she hit the ground<br/>"I have no place in this world"<br/>Even at the end she was thinking of the place that tore her up, that made her a weapon. She I opened by hand I was in a water, a lake at the bottom of Vormir, a golden glow came from one of my hands. But I couldn’t open it. I didn’t need proof she was gone so I opened the other hand. Her necklace was bundled inside my palm, when she let go she replaced her life with a gold chain. I have worn it ever since.’</p><p>And the Archer walks out, leaving me staring transfixed my my hand, my dawn twisting and turning in my open palm the thing that saved her life, that saved both of our lives, that lives in me like a curse, or like a charm meaning I can never be normal, I can never go into school again without someone noticing me or asking me a question. I chose to live a life with this crazy adopted family-just the same as Nat. But I had a choice. Did she?</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Darkness</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>VERY BIG TW: WARNINGS FOR SWEARING MENTIONS OF RAPE ADN ABUSE AND SELF HARM<br/>do not read if you are uncomfortable with any of the above!!!</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>VERY BIG TW: WARNINGS FOR SWEARING MENTIONS OF RAPE ADN ABUSE AND SELF HARM<br/>do not read if you are uncomfortable with any of the above!!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next day Yelena is revealed to the press, they happily snap photo after photo and try to get quotes and information, but Nat is protective of her sister and shields her from any too deep or emotional jabs about the White Widow<br/>The White Widow</p><p>That was the name we decided for her. A mirror of her sisters, a nod to s clean start, a nod to the hell that made her a killer and a nod to familiarity, a reminder on exactly who you would be messing with if you touched Yelena Belova. After that we get takeaway pizza, it seems a tradition now, whenever somethings major happens, or a battle is won pizza is called. </p><p>Halfway through the meal though Nat stands up abruptly pushing her chair back with a harsh scrape, glaring at tony with all the force she could muster</p><p>‘What did you just say’ she growls, her voice is not that of Natasha or Auntie Nat-it is the Black Widows.</p><p>‘I…ur..’ Tony stutters. Everyone’s eyes grow wide. What did Tony do this time?</p><p>‘Repeat what you just said’ she says, slowly getting her long dagger to and twirling it between us menacingly.</p><p>The billionaire visibly gulps ‘nothing’ he manages to stammer out. In a trice Nat is across the room, tiny pistol aimed and pointed directly at the back of him skull. No one moves an inch but Yelena who stands and walks up behind her sister, who’s standing muscles taunt hands shaking.</p><p>‘нет нац, не дай им победить, не дай им вернуться. Думать’ she whispers, gently reaching out, Nat flinches away from her touch (Nat, do not let them control you, do not let them back in)</p><p>‘они не выигрывают, я все контролирую он обидел тебя’ (this is me. I am in control, he offended you) she replies huskily<br/>‘что он сказал? что он сказал, что каралось смертью’ Yelena sounds desperate now as the click of the gun cocking fills the empty air</p><p>She turns to us, last time I saw her nearly kill a friend her eyes were cold and empty but they were not today, they are full of fire and love and protection</p><p>‘He said the Red Room wasn’t as bad as we made it out to be’ Tony blanches and she continues, watching Yelena’s eyes fill with the same hatred ‘He said the others needed to be careful of us’ she finishes in a whisper, dropping the gun to the ground with a crash and walk out, leaving Yelena to complete the death glare and stalk out after her.</p><p>Clint and I stand up and start yelling at the exact same time, dawn glowing inside me, but his hand on his collarbone, clutching the necklace which had replaced his partner in crime. I look at him</p><p>‘after you’ I say and settle down to watch the show, anger boiling underneath my cool exterior</p><p>‘YOU LITTLE S, YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT SHE WENT THROUGH. AT 3 SHE WAS TAKEN FROM THE PEOPLE THAT LOVE HER AND FROM THAT DAY ON SHE WENT THROUGH HELL. WHAT WAS THE WORST THING IN YOUR LIFE HUH TONY? WHAT WAS THE WORST THING THAT HAPPENED IN YOUR LIFE?’ Clint yells at the man. Tony, decides to fight this battle, he tilts his head calculatingly and looks Clint up and down</p><p>‘Both my parents were killed, I never got to say goodbye’ he states. Hawkeye erupt again</p><p>‘YOU DIDN’T BLOODY GET TO SAY GOODBYE STARK? YOU HAVE MEMORIES. CAN YOU SEE YOUR MOTHERS FACE IF YOU CONCENTRATE. CAN YOU GOOGLE YOUR DAD IF YOU WANT TO KNOW HIS LAST NAME?’ Tony seems to realise what he did and nods slowly, but the archer is far from done.</p><p>‘That woman is not Natasha Romanoff’ Steve looks confused and Thor’s eyebrows burrow ‘that woman is not Natalia Alianova Romanova, not Natalie Rushman. She doent even know her real name BUT she is an incredible young woman that was abused in ways you can’t even have nightmares about and she came out the other side guns blazing for us. For the ‘good guys’ she could have stayed on their side, she could have become. No scratch that-continued to be the most feared assassin known but did she. No. she fought along side a super soldier, a god, a scientific phenomenon and a billionaire in a tin suit with only her guns and the skills they cut into her’</p><p>He is running out of steam now, tears beginning to make their way down is cheeks. He slumps onto the sofa and adds in a low voice</p><p>‘Nat didn’t even know her fathers name until red skull told her. That’s right, Red Skull. Remember that? When she sacrificed her fucking life for billions of people. Do you know what she said when she fell? She said I have no place in this world. Even after saving the world for the 3rd time she thought she didn’t belong. She thought she had no place in the world’ the tears fell freely, and he too stands. </p><p>‘Next time you think you are unlucky because the Wi-Fi goes down in the middle of a call or your favourite restaurant cant book you think of a little girl who was ripped from her loved ones, forced into blood and injections, collars and handcuffs and be grateful. Be fucking grateful’ he leaps up, into the vents above his head and the room is silent for a few second before, with a soft thwap an arrow hits the wall behind Tony’s head, quivering an inch from his ear </p><p>‘Be grateful’ a threatening voice from the ceiling says ‘I don’t usually miss’</p><p>It’s my turn next, but look at the others first</p><p>‘Please leave’ I request, it is not a question but a threat, if they don’t ill put Tony and I in a soundproof dome.</p><p>‘Do not kill him’ is all Steve says before filing out of the room, just before Banner leaves he turns to me, as if asking what to do<br/>‘Call Maria’ I say quickly ‘and leave her and Lena alone, unless it is Ria, she wont want to see anyone else. And for Gods sake make sure there are no handcuffs hanging around’ he looks perplexed but nods and as the door shuts behind him I turn to the man. <br/>Stark may have been the one that found me, paid for my recruitment, my training, covered my food, my living. Let me stay in his tower. But do I care right now.</p><p>No-flipping-way.</p><p>‘Did you know that Nat still handcuffs herself to her bed at night when she has nightmares’ I say slowly, sitting down opposite him and putting my feet on the table. He shakes his head, hurt and regret in his eyes, I know he would run and apologise if he could, he knew what he said was wrong and he wants to take it back but I wont let him, he cant ever make a comment like that ever, ever again</p><p>‘I know about the Red Room from hacking you couldn’t even do’ I think back to reading the files in Epic, hiding them from al as she read thor’s in awe</p><p>‘When I read about what they did I threw up 4 times’ I grimace softly and he averts my eyes ‘She was 3 when she was brought in. Abused the day after. Incitation they called in, electric shock collar and a butt load of needles. She was 5 when she could shoot bullseye. 6 when she was forced onto pointe, she has broken her ankles 3 times. She could kill silently by the time she was 7, raped for the first time at 8’ my heart breaks in that moment and I end my illusion, showing the tears raging down my mascara streaked face. Stark is almost crying too now. But I have a few more thing to say</p><p>‘She has experimented on, used as a weapon, a test subject. She cant get drunk, she sews herself up with zip ties’ his distress is evident now ‘she can’t even have children because of what they did to her. And as for Yelena. The exact same thing happened to her but she was older than Nat when she came in, she can still name her mothers hair colour. But Nat still took her under her wing, as a 9 year old she had gone through things most people die without, that should never happen to a human. Never. But she chose someone to love and she protected them’ I finish with a sigh, wiping the tears from my face and the dawn from my arms.</p><p>‘goodbye mr stark’ I say and shut the door behind me, not stopping to Steve or Bruce’s calls of my name. </p><p> </p><p>I don’t stop until I reach my room, until I have manually locked the door (not even FRIDAY could let people in) </p><p>I don’t stop until I find the knife Val gave me the day after our first fight. </p><p>I don’t stop until the blood flows freely from my arms, the deep crimson staining the bathroom tiles.</p><p>I don’t stop until the blood shows that I am human </p><p>I only stop as I survey what I have done, the knife abandoned on the floor, my blood, rich red blood pouring from my veins.</p><p>‘I have no place in the world’ I whisper as I feel a familiar tug in the back of my mind, my eyes transferring to green </p><p>‘I have no place in this world’ I repeat in a whisper before this world wraps its arms around me, enveloping me in a void of darkness.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I hope this is okay.</p><p>I was going to honor this chapter to my best friend Ace who i only got the courage to show my writing about an hour ago, but I'm going to wait for a happier chapter to do that.</p><p>If you need help, please use any resources you can find and call some one http://www.suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.html <br/>Stay safe and wear masks x</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Light</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Natasha finds Red...</p><p>TW: SELF HARM</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I don’t stop until I find the knife Val gave me the day after our first fight.</p><p>I don’t stop until the blood flows freely from my arms, the deep crimson staining the bathroom tiles.</p><p>I don’t stop until the blood shows that I am human I only stop as I survey what I have done, the knife abandoned on the floor, my blood, rich red blood pouring from my veins.</p><p>‘I have no place in the world’ I whisper as I feel a familiar tug in the back of my mind, my eyes transferring to green</p><p>‘I have no place in this world’ I repeat in a whisper before this world wraps its arms around me, enveloping me in a void of darkness.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p>Nat</p><p>
  <em>I shoot bullseye after bullseye, when my gun is out of ammo I reload in, a satisfying rhythm </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Bang, bang, bang, </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Switch hands </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Bang, bang, bang, </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Switch hands </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Bang, bang, bang, </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Switch hands </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Bang, bang, bang, </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Switch hands </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Reload </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Bang, bang, bang, </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Switch hands </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Bang, bang, bang, </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Switch hands </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>And so on until the ground in littered with used bullet cases and the target is barley standing. With a feeble flop it hits the floor </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>I don’t stop until all the bullets in the cabinet are gone, until my finger is raw from the trigger and my shoulder sore aching from the recoil </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>I don’t stop until I find the spare bow and arrow Clint leaves down here </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>I don’t stop until I can hit bullseye with his weapon </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>I don’t stop until I run out of arrows I only stop as I survey what I have done, the bullet cases screw across the floor, the weapons store ransacked and empty, knives sticking out of targets, arrows plunged into walls and target riddled with bullet holes lying still on the tiles </em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘I have no place in the world’ I whisper as I sink to the floor, my head in my hands. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘I have no place in this world’ I repeat as I feel blood dripping down from my arms, pooling around where I am sitting. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>At once I look up. I am not bleeding, I have not cut myself as I threw my blades or drew my arrows, I am better than that. Still I feel the familiar tug in the back of my mind and again the dampness over comes me. Suddenly it clicks </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Red. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>I force myself into soul, trying too push my conscious into her body, finally I feel her give way to me and I open my eyes. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>I want to throw up. Blood, so much blood, is all I see before my eyes go black. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>I can feel the gentle pulse of her heart in the back of my mind as I race up the many fights of stares to the living area and bedroom, no wait, too gentle, slowing, slowly stopping. </em>
</p><p>
  <strong>Crash </strong>
</p><p>Nat collides head on with Stark as she round the corner.</p><p>‘Natasha I just wanted to say im so so-‘ he starts, hurt and apology in his eyes</p><p>‘NO’ Nat says quickly, his yes cloud over with worry</p><p>‘Its Red, shes…. Shes self harming again I think’ he at once leaps to action, calling all the Avengers urgently to the living room with a single tap to his watch.</p><p>Cap leaps out of the lift, along with Val, Thor and Carol whose first are already glowing</p><p>‘guys we gotta problem’ Stark states pacing the room already looking through CCTV of every the rooms in the tower, running facial recognition to find out where Red is.</p><p>Nat take over ‘Iris is self-harming again’ is state slowly. Val falls to the floor in a dead faint. Carol catches her before she hits the floor, Steves face falls immediately and he clutches his shield closer to him</p><p>‘we have to find her’ he whispers, running over to join the disappearing Stark at the computers, Nat drop down beside Carol, who is trying to wake up Val</p><p>‘come on Val, come on Iris needs you’ she pleads, giving the girl a gentle shock from her hands</p><p>‘waa ttt…whats happened oh my god Iris’ the girl wakes up gently then remembers leaping to her feat to swaying gently</p><p>‘woah take it easy Val’ Carol says but Nat is in <em>‘find my baby’</em> mode</p><p>‘Where is she Stark’ she growls, as the facial recognition scans come back negative.</p><p>‘I don’t know, FRIDAY has cameras every where, even in the lift, everywhere except’ then he realises</p><p>‘The bathrooms’ Val yells then runs out of the room, headed to Red’s bedroom, where her un-suite is. Carol runs off to inform the med-bay and Thor, Cap A, Stark and Nat follow but Nat and Val arrive first.</p><p>Val is shaking again, pointing to a drip coming under the bathroom door.</p><p>Blood.</p><p>‘Stay back’ Stark pushes Cap and Thor out of the room to the sitting room and they sit, legs bouncing thumbs twiddling in awkward silence until Thor finally speaks up</p><p>‘Im sorry, but what does this Midgardian phrase ‘self harming’ mean’ he says slowly and Steve pales slightly</p><p>‘It…its when people are sad about them selves or unhappy about something and they hurt them selves, cut them selves’ he whispers and Thor’s entire deminor changes, he sinks deeper in him seat and his shoulders sag his eyes filling up with tears as he drops his hammer to the floor with a thud </p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>Nat</p><p>
  <em>The bathroom door is locked, of course, even FRIDAY cant unlock it-apparently she tried when she heard the screams. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>I smash my shoulder against the door, and hearing no reply from the other side I try again. Pain erupts up my arm and into my neck but I don’t care, im getting that girl out of her own blood. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘Nat’ Val pleads, desperately trying to pick the locks ‘Natasha’ she tries again, twiddling them frantically in the tiny hole. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>I turn and look at her, eyes streaked with tears ‘I shouldn’t have put a gun to Tony’s head, I shouldn’t have listened in to his conversation, I overreacted’ I say quickly, running at the door a final time. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The pain burns but I use it to spur me on </em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘Its not your fault Nat’ Val screams over the crashes of my shoulder on wood. I stop and look at her, she is crying, eyes blurred with tears as she tries to pick the complicated cogs</em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘Its not your fault, its not Tony’s and for gods sake its not Iris’s. but my girlfriend is in there bleeding to death and I need to get her out’ she sobs, pushing harder and harder into the lock until the pick snaps, end still in hole, ruining our chances of getting the door open that way. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>She falls to the floor still sobbing and I crouch next to her, pushing her long hair away from her face </em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘its going to be okay Val, we will get her out’ I promise, but even I am unsure now </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Smash</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> A large metal object is hurled through the door lock, smashing half the door and the door frame into splinter. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘no one hurts my Midgardian’ Thor growls, summoning Mijolner back to his hand. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>I rush through the door and stop at the sight in front of my eyes. Iris is sitting up slouched against the bath still in her jeans and white t-shirt. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>But the t-shirt is now red, red with blood. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Deep cuts scatter her arm and biceps, both arms a mess of dried blood and skin. There is a small puddle on the floor by her right arm and loosely held in her hand in a knife. The knife is small and sharp-more or a dagger really, it has a carved wooden handle, now flecked with blood and a small green gem set into the handle. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>I recognize it instantly, Val gave it to her, after the battle of London, when she got stabbed ‘you get stabbed, stab them back’ she joked to the joyous look on Red’s face as she opened the present. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘Elskan’ Brunn screams running over and dropping down to the ground beside her, trousers soaking up the blood lining the floor. I follow suit and press my hands to her neck, feeling for a beat, a pulse, anything. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Suddenly I feel it ‘Shes breathing’ I shout as Carol appears at the door, a hover stretcher and Dr Cho in pursuit </em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘Oh my god Iris’ Dr Cho exclaims seeing the scene in front of her ‘get her up, get her to the stretcher’ she orders, tapping her watch quickly. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>I obey-Val still looks so weak and lift the girl bridal style onto the stretcher, she strains against my grasp and I hear her utter words I recognize </em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘I have no place in this world’ My blood runs cold but she is not done, the knife is still loosely held in her right arm and she brings it up to her left. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘no’ strong, slender hands are clutching the knife, Val wrenches it from her grasp with a stammer recognizing it like I did. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘she..i gave it…it my…. Its my fault…I killed her…. I’ she stutter weakly as Iris is whisked away Dr Cho and Carol running behind. I turn back to Val. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>My baby Dawn needs me, but this warrior needs me more.</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>hey I hope this is okay, please leave comments and kudos, they mean so much xx</p><p>Stay safe and wear masks!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. Warrior</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Natasha talks to Val and Iris wakes up</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Val sinks to the floor in the puddle of her girlfriends blood her head is in her hands and her eyes are dripping with tears</p><p>‘hey, hey hey, its okay’ Nat comforts her, sitting down on the floor and getting Deja vú of the last time she stopped a panic attack, but this isn’t a panic attack. Val is screaming into her hands, burying her face into knees and drawing her legs up to her, crouching into a tiny ball of broken soul</p><p>‘Val look at me’ Nat says gently ‘look at me’ she repeats, Val doesn’t stop crying but her watery eyes meet Natasha’s and she whispers</p><p>‘its all my fault’ and with a slash Val’s blood joins Iris’s on the floor, a deep cut like Red’s is welling with blood on her forearm. She looks down, eyes cold and empty with no regret</p><p>‘Val’ Nat yells</p><p>‘i had to see what it was like’ she whispers ‘it is all my fault’</p><p>‘no, no its not’</p><p>‘yes it is, you saw what she did, you saw that it was me, me who gave her the knife. I killed her’</p><p>‘no you did not, she could have used any knife, you are not the reason for this’</p><p>‘I could have stopped this, I could have been there for her’</p><p>‘you might of, but what’s done is done, you can be there for her now though’</p><p>‘no I cant I am the problem’</p><p>‘no, you are the solution, she loves you and she needs you to be strong for her now, you need to be there for Iris, be strong and happy for her’ Nat pleads and the girl finally looks up</p><p>‘I need to leave’ she stands running over to the huge glass windows of the bedroom and trying to slam through it, smashing her fist over and over into the glass creating not even a crack, just another smear of blood from her shattered knuckles</p><p>‘Brunnhildle stop it’ Nat yells, grabbing the girl from behind, twisted her and throwing her to the floor in a lock.</p><p>‘it is not your fault’ she says slowly ‘now tell me that. Tell me it was not your fault’ the hazel eyes meet hers and Val gulps</p><p>‘it my fault’ she whispers, Nat continues to stare at her, as if reading for soul</p><p>‘it is not my fault’ she repeats, calmer, pulse slowing down and a deep, uncomfortable weight of dread setting in her stomach<br/>Nat gently leads her over to the bed and Val, still slightly shellshocked by what happened lies down slowly eyes still dripping with tears and knees still damp with blood</p><p>‘Nat’ she hates how her voice comes out as a weak rasp. The red head turns around just as she is about to walk out the door.</p><p>‘yes смелая девушка’ she says</p><p>‘will…will you stay with me?’ Val hugs the blanket slightly closer to her, beginning to shiver, but not from cold. Nat’s eyes flicker</p><p>‘of course I will’ she whispers, and pads across the room, settling onto the bed and gently placing Val’s hand in her own, absent minded stroking back the girl’s long hair with the other.</p><p>‘you know…’ the warrior hiccups ‘I lost everyone I loved, I lost my mum, my sisters, the only family I had ever known. I lost the girl I had loved for 500 years, I couldn’t save them’ Nat can feel her leggings where the brunette’s head lies getting gradually wetter, but lets her continue</p><p>‘I thought I would never love anyway one again, I had my life destroyed in front of my eyes and it broke me. Then I thought I was saved, I thought I had found something to fill my emptiness, but I think someone has just woken me up from that dream’ she trails off</p><p>‘what dream смелая девушка’ Nat whispers</p><p>‘That I was avenger, that I was doing good, had a life worth living, had a girlfriend who loved themselves every bit as I loved them’ she choaks out, the spy is quiet for a while</p><p>‘you know I once told someone I was scared of waking up from the dream of being an Avenger, of being anything more than the weapon they made me. And do you know what they said? They said what is life but an opportunity to make your dreams come true I don’t know why, but I thought about it for a while. Im not going to say that to you though, because it turned out that person had lied to me, I had to kill them a week later’ Val gives a shuddery sniff on her lap</p><p>‘but you are doing good, you are deserving of your place on the team. Your life is worth living and Iris loves you so much, sometimes the world throws stuff in our way we don’t expect but we have just got to fight through, clinging into what makes us unique and ourselves and if that’s the fact that you can turn into a frog at a moments notice, or if you can shoot lasers from your fists we need to accept that and value those gifts. And if its that you lost the people that you love or you are unhappy with yourself then you need to accept that too and improve on those things, not move on but learn from your mistakes and think about them, remember how you bounced back. A wise friend once told me why not just say fuck the world for one, think about your friends, your family, me? And its one of my greatest regrets that I didn’t but I wont let you make my mistakes so; you need your beauty sleep, we are talking to Iris tomorrow’</p><p>The girls sniffs a bit more but doesn’t disagree, Nat stays there, my her side, even after her breathing even out and the girls eyes shut with a flutter. Still stroking back her hair the spy begins to sing, softly in Russian a husky accent catching on the edge of her words</p><p>‘Там, где течет мечтательная Волга, Там одинокая русская роза, Глядя нежно, Вниз на ее колено, Где карие глаза ребенка блестят, Слушать, Каждую ночь вы будете, слышать ее кроун, Русская колыбельная, Просто маленькая жалобная мелодия, Когда ребенок начинает плакать, Прощай мой малыш, Где-то может быть, Земля, которая бесплатна для тебя и меня, И русская колыбельная’</p><p>***</p><p>My head spins and I groggily open my eyes to a harsh white light.</p><p>‘INES’ I slur ‘Turn lights to 5%’ at once the light dim and I fight to keep my eyes open, however as soon as the AI acts to my command the door bashes open and I wince as Dr Cho runs in, she kneels over my bed and looks me over, checking my pulse and bandages</p><p>‘Where….where am I’ I ask, ignoring the thudding pain in my head and ache all over my arms. Dr Cho looks worried</p><p>‘Do you know who you are?’ she asks gently and I resist the urge to laugh</p><p>‘yes, im Iris, Red Dawn and im in the avengers compound med bay, but why….what did I do….what happened’ I question, wracking my brains for memories. The Doctor’s eyes flash over with a sadness. Then I remember</p><p>Blood, so much blood. The feel of the knife cutting my skin, the green of my eyes, I have no place in this world. The sound of Val’s screams</p><p>‘i..i did something’ I sum up lamely, my eyebrows furrowing she nods gravely. I Sit up slowly and she goes back to checking the monitors, I gently pull back the sleeves of my hospital gown. My arms are covered all over with think bandages a few are stained red and they reach from my shoulder to my wrists</p><p>‘i…I didn’t mean to…I didn’t want to go this far’ I stammer, remembering the enveloping darkness, Dr Cho turn around sadly</p><p>‘you might not have wanted to but you nearly cut a major artery, you are lucky Ms Romanoff and Valkyrie found you in time’ she explains slowly, taking my hand and readjusting my bandages <br/>‘but you are safe, now, you are happy and you belong in a family, yes?’ she looks into my eyes and I nod, feeling tear prick at the edge of my vision</p><p>‘I have a place in this world’ I say and to my surprise see Dr Cho’s eyes quickly become watery</p><p>‘yes’ she replies ‘yes you do, now I believe your family wants to see you’ she smiles and I nod again </p><p>‘INES’ standing up she addresses the AI ‘who is outside and what are they doing’</p><p>‘morning Dr Cho, outside are all the avengers currently residing in the tower, they have all been outside all night. Tony is on him 6th cup of coffee and is listening to music, thor is crying and swearing to abolish the human nonsense of self harming, cap is talking with Bucky, Clint is fiddling with his necklace and texting his family, dr banner is trying to work and remain calm, Carol is glowing and messaging Maria and Monica cancelling their visit next week so she can look after you and Nat and Val are upstairs still in your room, Val had…’</p><p>Ive never known an AI hesitate before, but INES seems unsure of how to explain the situation </p><p>‘she had a hard time and both of them blamed them selves, they staying in your bed last night and Nat sung Russian lullabies and helped calm her down’</p><p>‘Thank you’ I whisper then turn to Cho</p><p>‘could they come in? just one at a time?’ I ask, not wanting to be overwelmed and she nods </p><p>‘who first?’</p><p>‘Carol’ I reply, knowing my space unctie would see the good and help as much as they can</p><p>‘sending Tinkerbell in now’</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>prompts and comments appreciated!<br/>stay safe and wear masks xx</p><p>The lullaby means:<br/>Where the dreamy Volga flows<br/>There's a lonely Russian rose<br/>Gazing tenderly<br/>Down upon her knee<br/>Where a baby's brown eyes glisten<br/>Listen<br/>Every night you'll hear her croon<br/>A Russian lullaby<br/>Just a little plaintive tune<br/>When baby starts to cry<br/>Rock-a-bye my baby<br/>Somewhere there may be<br/>A land that's free for you and me<br/>And a Russian lullaby</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0028"><h2>28. Heartbeat</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The group talk to Iris, Val comes in and they have a (cute) talk.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>TW: Suicide/Self harm references</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>‘Hey kid’ Carol says softly, walking into my room, I smile faintly at the sight of them.</p><p>‘hey’ is all I can think of to reply. They look so tried and… they’ll kill me for saying this… old?</p><p>‘you feeling a bit better’ they sit down on the chair by my bed and I sit up slowly, trying not to put too much weight on my painful arms</p><p>‘yes’ I nod ‘a lot better, although I feel lightly like an eskimo’ I laugh and gesture to the swashes of huge bandages. Carol says nothing, just studies me carefully, sighing I try again</p><p>‘I didn’t mean to, I didn’t mean to go so far’ whispering I take her glowing hand in mine, it shocks me slightly</p><p>‘I know you didn’t, but you did, and we are so lucky we found, I don’t know what we’d do without you’ the spaceperson grins slightly </p><p>‘I mean, we’d have so much more food, but im sure we could sacrifice a few pizzas for your smile’<br/>I join her laugh ‘there you go’ they carry on ‘that smile’ a little glow lights me up with happiness</p><p>‘are Maria and Monica coming over?’ I ask, their face falls for a second</p><p>‘no sweetie, ive cancelled the visit’</p><p>‘you didn’t have to do that’</p><p>‘yes, yes I did, I want to be there to help you’</p><p>‘thank you’ they paste their smile back on</p><p>‘of course red, we are all here for you, now, shall I send the next ones in?’ the stand and walk over to the door</p><p>‘yes please’ I say</p><p>‘love you Iris’ she shuts the door gently behind her</p><p>‘love you Carol’ I whisper into my pillow just before the door smashes open and a bomb of puppy eyes and floppy hair throws himself at me</p><p>‘oh my god red, you terrified us, I mean me, I mean Val, shes really sad and apparently her and Nat are still up upstairs but you scared us, we cant loose you, we love you, how are you are you, okay? do you need anything changed, does nat need to kill anyone for you? Peter gushes in a single breath</p><p>‘jeez underroos, let the girl speak’ stark is leaning against the door with his sunglasses on, even though I have already dimmed the light significantly. Peters hits down beside me and squeezes me in a huge hug</p><p>‘hey Pete, Mr Stark’ I gasp before double tapping the boy jokingly</p><p>‘How you feeling kiddo?’ Stark asks kindly, not leaving his place on the door frame</p><p>‘Good’ I nod ‘I still don’t know what came over me, I don’t know I just’ I stop, wishing the tears in my eyes not to fall</p><p>‘Is okay Iris’ Peter states from his place on my right ‘ive been taking to Dr Cho and we think we can get rid of all the scars really quickly’ he seems to excited but I stop him</p><p>‘no pete, sorry but I don’t want to cover my scars, if I need to I can always create an illusion’ he looks confused so I take a deep breath calling on my dawn. I wrap myself in it, making my cheeks slightly pinker, my hair shiny and brighter, vanish all my bandages and replace them with a slightly more tanned arms, I even add my favourite t-shirt and jeans. </p><p>Peter looks awestruck, and even Stark looks slightly impressed</p><p>‘woahhhhh, you can do that?’ he murmurs</p><p>‘yep, I’ve been using it to go out in public since my identity came out, im too scared to go as myself’ I reply, then frown<br/>‘You seriously never knew I could do that’ he laughs slightly</p><p>‘well… you do now…’ </p><p>I let him natter away at a million miles a minute for a while before FRIDAY interrupts</p><p>‘Glowstick Gal im afraid I’ll have to cut Stickey Boi’s visit short before Thor, Steve and Clint break the door down to get in here’</p><p>Peter giggles ‘bye for now then’ he falters for a bit before launching at me</p><p>‘so’ he stutters ‘I have a special jumper on that means if you squeeze me you will feel better’ I sign inwardly</p><p>‘I love your hugs Pete’ I whisper into his fluffy hair</p><p>‘And we love you’ he replies, before leaving, Stark hangs around at the door before he speaks-still facing away from me</p><p>‘I’m sorry kiddo’ is all I hear before he vanishes from sight</p><p>***</p><p>Thor, Steve and Clint are next, Clint shows me pictures of his kids on the new treehouse he built last time he was there, Thor makes me hold his hammer the entire time to prove my worth and Steve lectures me on self love and… well…. I zoned out in minute 3. Then they all clear out suddenly, Clint snatching back his phone and thor summoning his hammer as Steve gives a conclusion, then I’m left with Val.</p><p>She’s standing by the door in the same clothes, I think, as yesterday, there is a bit of blood flecked on the top, but the knees are dark brown and crusty, her dark hair is tied back in a messy bun with strands hanging out that have been braided into tiny little braids like she does when shes nervous. </p><p>As she leans against the door I notice her index finger and thumb rubbing together and sigh, shes thinking hard about what to say to me</p><p>‘Don’t do that’ she says suddenly</p><p>‘What?’</p><p>‘Don’t sigh like that’ she says, away, still leaning by the door ‘you don’t get to sigh, you don’t get to be tried of all of this or annoyed. You only get to be hurt and sorry and healing, okay?’</p><p>I nod numbly and she closes her eyes for a second, then opens them in a flash</p><p>‘I cant even close my eyes for long anymore. I slept for an hour last night then lay there, with my eyes open because every time I shut them, every time I lost control of my surroundings I saw you, slumped in your own blood. I saw you, cutting yourself. I saw you, not even able to talk to me. I saw you and I saw me, standing by your side, standing over you doing nothing, not even being able to help you. <br/>I think that if I close my eyes, if I sleep or loose consciousness even for a second I’ll hear your screams, or Natasha’s screams, or a machine flat wiring, or someone calling time of death, or even Dr Cho, calling me to your death bed to try and talk to you but honestly’ she drags her hand through her hair<br/>‘I have nothing to say to you’ she finishes quietly ‘I cant say anything to make you feel better, I cant say anything to help you, to heal you, I can’t stop the pain or stop anything Iris. I just cant’</p><p>I feel tears prick at the edge of my eyes</p><p>‘I’ll move then’ I sniff ‘It’ll be awkward if I still live at the tower, I have some saving I could use-‘</p><p>But she cuts me off, forehead crinkling with confusion ‘What?’</p><p>‘I mean, if you’re breaking up with me then’ I gesture with my hands and wipe away a small tear, hearing my heart thudding in my chest</p><p>‘I’m not breaking up with you’ she says slowly and my head snaps up from where I was fiddling with my bandages </p><p>‘I’m breaking up with…this  you, I’m saying that I cant stop you, I cant be around… you when you’re feeling like this, when you’re doing this because I feel so helpless. I…’ she ruffles her hair again and looks up, blinking rapidly</p><p>‘I love you Iris, and I just… I feel so helpless. I know I need to be there for you, I know I need too be strong and support you and tell you its going to be okay and that it’ll all be alright. But I don’t know how to be there for you, I don’t know how to be strong, or what to do to support you, I cant even see if its going to be okay, I cant look into the future and tell you it’ll be allright because I don’t know anything’</p><p>‘Val’ I start ‘I…’ I think, wracking my brains of anything to say to her, how to comfort her</p><p>‘come here, please’ I look up to her and wiggle over slightly on the bed, she sighs and flops across the room, collapsing onto the bed beside me and lying there, both of us staring at the same ceiling panel</p><p>‘I… urm… there are signs really. It starts by cutting yourself off almost, spending lots of time alone. Time alone brings up questions, brings up doubts about yourself and the people around you, picking your scars is also a big one, hiding your scars or constantly looking at them or giving them extra attention. </p><p>Wearing long sleeves and trousers is when its started-it hides the marks. When you withdraw from your life a bit really, pull away from people and the things that make you happiness, keeping sharp things close by, fiddling a lot. Exercising a lot, or going on long walks, working off energy-that’s the nerves really, because you know you probably shouldn’t do what you do, so you get nervous. And… those are the main signs really, but… refusing to get changed in front of people, or not going into public places’ I list all these symptoms from memory, read in one of my many mental health books on my shelf</p><p>‘okay, so.. what do I do? What do I do if this happens, if you do this?’ Val asks, uncertainly and I gras her hand, pretending not to feel her hesitate as the bandages scratch her skin</p><p>‘usually you call someone, tell the parents, but’ I let my eyes roll ‘they’re out of the question for me, tell Nat, maybe Carol or Lena or Maria-one of them, definitely Dr Cho. Don’t teach me different, treat me normally, don’t treat me like im going to shatter, like im made of glass. Tell me how you feel and how im worried and just sit there, you don’t even have to talk just be there, you know, lecture me on your day, complain about training, talk about whos cooking dinner. <br/>Make sure I dont have any knives, any thing I can use, don’t confiscate them, im not a toddler but stop me. Help me, let me know your there and even if I don’t talk to you at first, even if I cant voice the sounds in my head ill get there, ill have a time like… this, when I can help you and then you can help me’ </p><p>I end with a small sigh and roll over so I can count the freckles on Val’s nose, her eyes looking straight into mine</p><p>‘shut your eyes’ I say quietly and she shakes her head, a tear rolling out of her eye and across the bridge of her nose, passing her other eye and splashing onto the pillow</p><p>‘Shut them, im right here, im not going anywhere’ I whisper and she shakes it again</p><p>‘I cant do that Iris, I’ve already seen my love die in front of my eyes I cant do that to you too’ she replies softly and I put my arm around her, pulling her closer to me so her head is resting on my chest</p><p>‘Can you hear it?’ I ask ‘Can you hear my heart rate?’ </p><p>A tear rolls onto my t shirt and I feel her nod against me</p><p>‘I’m not going any where, im not leaving you’ </p><p>Eventually her breathing goes even, her eyes staying shut and not flickering, her head stays on my chest, my heart rate lulls us both asleep, gently and steady. <br/>Always there. <br/>Never faltering, never straying. <br/>Constant.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>comments loved! they really help the writers block :)</p><p>stay safe, wear masks xxx</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0029"><h2>29. Panic attacks, Lesbian corruption and Call the midwife</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Bit of a full chapter to make up for my absence...!<br/>Panic attacks at school, nice teachers, the nightmare club and a small part of the women of Marvel with Peter :)</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I return to school a week later, keeping my head down, despite loads of questions about my absence, I shake slightly as the teacher enter my classroom, for some reason the smell of the perfume brings back something I wanted to push away a long time ago.</p><p>When I was on that plane I wasn’t alone, I sat next to a guy called John, for 23 hours we sat next to each other, eventually he asked my name and we started talking. He was a New Zealander, travelling to England to meet his girlfriend who was planning to move back with him after a British summer. Never did he ask me about the scars on my arm, or the guards standing near the locked case at the front, but he did as to try a speech on me. The proposal speech he handed on saying to Rebecca, his girlfriend.</p><p>But the 10<sup>th</sup> hour of the flight he had it memorized, I had spell checked it and was engaged about 7 times, he was a good man. As the red lights flashed above and my stomach fell to my mouth he turned to me. He turned to a lost, recently fixed, scarred teenager for support. I could have saved him, but I couldn’t.</p><p>He wore a distinct sent, I remember asking him about it, it wasn’t him, it was Rebeccas, the scarf she had left the last time she was with him. He kept it, it smelt like her.</p><p>As Ms Robert clipped down that isle her small lingered there, picked up by my heightened senses and I froze. It all came rushing back, he could have been with his fianceé, but I killed him, I was the reason he died.</p><p>‘okay class, so today…’ I zone out the voice and focus on breathing</p><p>
  <em>In, out, in ,out, in, out breathe Iris, just like Nat showed you, its all a memory, its in the past</em>
</p><p>--flashback—</p><p>
  <strong>Crash</strong>
</p><p>A judder runs through the length of the plane and everyones eyes snap to the flight attendants, who suddenly rush as a group to the pilot</p><p>‘ladies and gentlemen we are experiencing some is..’ but the announcement is cut off as we drop from the sky. Johns eyes meet mine and I see terror, but almost not for him. His mouth opens in a split second and I think he is going to say something but the pressure is too much. We are falling so fast the sky blurs past the widow and I almost rise from my seat.</p><p>The crash is shattering, pain erupts through everything, my ears ring as the metal hits on impact, my right side feeling a blast of heat as the engine explodes, the screams f the dying fade to the dead as my vision goes black, then I hear a voice through the darkness</p><p>‘you are my everything, you are my world. I would love nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you’ then another voice joins, light with a British accent</p><p>‘your life will be short though’</p><p>--flashback ends—</p><p>‘Miss Davids’ I gasp back to life, trying to get oxygen into my failing lungs</p><p>‘Iris, are you okay?’ Al is by my side, shaking me gently, I flinch away from her touch and she understands, knowing I cant deal with touch after a flashback</p><p>‘Are you okay’ a gentler voice asks, and I snap my head up, Ms Roberts is leaning over me, behind her my class look on with open mouths and a few phone cameras. My breath hitches in my throat and my eyes flicker out, the lights are too harsh, the whispering too loud and everything is too tight, too personal, too much.</p><p>‘i..’ I gasp, trying to form complete sentences</p><p>‘everyone leave’ Ms Roberts commands and the class flies quickly and diligently out, murmuring among themselves loudly</p><p>‘hey, hey, hey, its okay’ she says gently, sitting down next to me, keeping her distance though, Al sits on a table in the background texting quickly, thumbs blurring, probably contacting one of the gang but I don’t care</p><p>‘look at me’ Ms Robert tries and I raise my head slowly, everything overwhelming me as visions flash before my eyes</p><p>‘name 3 things you can feel’ she prompts slowly, and I shut my eyes again, trying to block out everything but the things touching me</p><p>‘m…m..my hoodie’ I stutter out stupidly like a three year old, still squeezing my eyes tight shut ‘urm…the…the… chair… and, and a breeze..? Alex has opened the widow’ I confirm opening my left eye to see my friend unceremoniously wobbling on a chair reaching for the wedge</p><p>‘good’ the teacher soothes and my breathing finally starts to even out, but my pulse is still racing</p><p>‘3 things you can see?’ I open my other eye and push my chair back, so im leaning against the cold, pacifying wall</p><p>‘my hands’ my line of sight drops to my hands in my lap and I grow red suddenly</p><p>‘shit’ I murmur seeing the red tendrils crawling around my fingers and up my wrists ‘my dawn’ Ms Roberts nods, a small smile on her face ‘and…and you’ I finish lamely, finally finding eye contact.</p><p>At the back Al suddenly rushes out of the room on the phone and I concentrate on my teacher</p><p>‘did.. did I scream? Did I hurt anyone?’ I think quickly my mind working at a million thoughts a minute</p><p>‘no, well kind of’ she replies quickly and I release a sigh of relief</p><p>‘you, you just sort of screamed quietly and then let out a small explosion dome thing’ wincing I look around at my table, the pens are sprawled across the surface and my notebook is on the roof</p><p>‘you didn’t hurt anyone Iris, its okay’ I look back up at her calculatingly before asking</p><p>‘how did you know how to help?’ a flicker crosses her face ‘not many people know how to deal with stuff like that?’</p><p>‘I urm’ this time its her stammering through her answer ‘my sister, went through somethings and she has a bit of PTSD, she was in the army and I help her sometimes’</p><p>I nod</p><p>‘thank you, thank you so much’ she offers a small grin in return</p><p>‘its okay, but I have an idea if you think something like that is going to happen again’ she slowly pulls out a pack of neon pink post-it notes, I frown in confusion for a second and she explains</p><p>‘my sisters teacher came up with a solution, if you feel stressed or overcome stick one of these on your notebook or desk; they are so bright I can see them easily from the front so I wont pick you and you’ll be left alone, do you think that could work?’</p><p>‘yes’ grinning I take the packet from her ‘that sounds like an amazing plan’</p><p>‘great’ she straightens herself up and walks to the back of the room, preparing to let the class back in</p><p>‘wait’ I call out suddenly and she turns, her hand on the doorknob ‘can… can you please thank your sister from me, for her service… in the army’</p><p>‘of course I will, she’d love that’ Ms Roberts replies and throws open the door, everyone rushes back in, Al comes straight up to me</p><p>‘hey, one of them is headed over after the lesson, you’ve got permission to leave early’</p><p>‘thanks Al’ I smile as she walks up to the front desk to tell Ms Roberts.</p><p>Half an hour later the bell rings and we all rush out in a gaggle, I send a grateful glance to the teacher before letting the flow take me. Waiting at the end of the corridor is a certain red head with a cap and sunglasses (the classic avengers disguise) a few students mill around but I cut through the gang easily with my head down, greeting my spider mum with a murmur and retuned smirk</p><p>‘lets go red’ me whispers and we walk quickly down the passageway, as soon as I am safely in the blacked out sports car outside I let out a long shaky breath I didn’t know I was holding in</p><p>
  <em>It’ll get better</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It must… right?</em>
</p><p>***</p><p>The nightmares come back later that night. I jerk awake, sweating with the sheets wrapped around my legs. My eyes flash around the room, searching for a sense of familiarity, I heave a sigh of relief when they land on the worn out copy of Spellslinger on my bedside table, the half-complete sketches and a photo of the team altogether. I sit up in bed, running my fingers through my damp hair. I cant even remember the nightmare. But it okay. Im in my room. Im safe. The others are safe, Nat and Val are alive.</p><p>
  <em>Breathe</em>
</p><p>‘FRIDAY what time is it?’ I ask the dark room</p><p>‘3:13 am’ FRI replies, I groan, flopping back down into bed, for a second I contemplate going back to sleep, but decide against it and instead pad softly to the kitchen. When I arrive I am matched with a strange sight. Nat, Buckey, Bruce, Val and Lena are sitting around the table, with steaming mugs and playing cards. I wait for a second at the door, I consider interrupting them but Nat makes my decision for me.</p><p>‘come on over детский рассвет’ she says with a smile, I walk over with and they set down their cards, I sit between Val and Bruce.</p><p>‘nightmare?’ the scientist asks</p><p>‘yeh’ I reply, looking at my hands in my lap, Val kisses my forehead and stands up</p><p>‘join the club, would you like some hot chocolate?’ she asks and I nod slowly</p><p>‘is this seriously the nightmare club?’ I ask and Buckey nods</p><p>‘yes, unfortunately’</p><p>‘what was yours about’ Lena prompts as Val passes me a boiling cup</p><p>‘I cant remember’ I answer honestly, shaking my head</p><p>‘did you have a panic attack when you woke up’ Bruce adds, adjusting the sleeve of his pjs awkwardly</p><p>‘yes’ I answer again ‘but only a small one’</p><p>‘that’s better Red’ Nat says, scootching beside me into a hug ‘im glad you came to us’</p><p>‘are you all okay’ I whisper, seeing the scars on nats wrists have cleared up a lot recently</p><p>‘we’re good, the usual’ Buckey states, Bruce and Val nod</p><p>‘we’ve all been dealing with nightmares and PTSD for most of our lives. We know how to get past it’ Bruce gestures to the cards, hot chocolate and company ‘this helps us get through it. Helps u know we are not alone’</p><p>I smile softly ‘Like a sort of club’</p><p>Buckey grins ‘Exactly for people awake at 3am’ I pick up my cards and look at them</p><p>‘so, watcha playing?’</p><p>‘go fish’ Lena smirks ‘it’s the only one we all know how to play’ I almost giggle at the absurdity of 4 superheroes playing go fish in the middle of the night. Nat sets down her mug</p><p>‘ill thrash you all’ she states, picking up her hand</p><p>‘sure ya will’ Val replies, wiggling her eyebrows. After 4 am people start leaving, I go to bed at around quarter to five, when the drinks are cold and only Nat and Buckey left as I walk out, gently setting my cup on the draining board Nat calls to me</p><p>‘hey, смелая девушка’ I turn around and she smiles sadly, emeralds glinting in the dark ‘nightlights help’</p><p>***</p><p>The next day Peter huffs in the elevator and quietly ignores FRIDAY’s attempts at small talk, he chucks his school bag on the floor with a thud, leaving it in a heap with Thor’s hammer, a bow, The Shield, an old leather jacket and about 3 knives next to a loaded gun.</p><p>He drags his feet into the kitchen before pouring himself a large mug of steaming hot chocolate, suddenly a loud yell comes from behind him</p><p>‘SAY I FUCKING LOVE YOU’</p><p>‘FUCKING KISS HER’</p><p>‘THIS IS THE LAST TIME YOU SEE HER-DON’T CARE WHAT ANYONE SAYS-KISS THE HELL OUTTA HER’</p><p>Then a few gun shots join the voices emitting loudly from the cinema room. After cursing (in periodic table) and trying in vain to get the stain out of his new jumper Peter runs into the room, pausing out side the door to check his watch</p><p>Friday 4:05-Movie night for all the couples in the tower-or the newly named <em>Lesbian Night</em> as all the couples were female. He barged into a hilarious sight.</p><p>Still yelling curses at the screen all the girls were laying over the sofas In various pairs, Nat had her gun out and was shooting at the tv (which Stark had made bulletproof after the 4<sup>th</sup> replacement) Maria was yelling and trying to calm her girlfriend down-cracks were beginning to appear across the screen. Yelena was looking confused but seemed to be getting the jist by what she was shouting and Carol fist were glowing gold with anger. Red seemed to have cast a soundproof dome over her and Val, she’s dropped the illusions she keeps up during the day and the pale scars covering her arms makes Peter wince, remembering only a few weeks ago siting by her bed, wishing she would wake up. Red sees Peters confused look at the dome before signing;</p><p>‘the swearing would make Tony wince’ Peter laughs and grabs the controller pausing it as a young brunette with a big fringe and smiling face started to push off on a bicycle.</p><p>As soon as the pause sign hits the screen the room goes deadly quiet, Maria stops trying to wrestle the gun off Nat and cocks her own; even Yelena death glares the small boy, now almost quivering under the gaze of The Female Avengers <sup>TM</sup></p><p>‘What did you just do’ Carol voice comes out in a growl</p><p>‘p…paau….se…d….it…tt’ he stutters</p><p>‘paused it?’ Val mutters</p><p>‘paused it?’ Maria adds</p><p>‘приостановил это?’ Yelena whispers, then repeats ‘paused it?’</p><p>‘you just paused the one moment in all of the 9 supreme seasons of Call the midwife, the one moment our favourite welsh gay gets run over and gets’ she sniffs ‘amnesia, meaning her girlfriend-our favourite plaid red head cannot tell her <em>I am the woman you loved for 3 years </em>because of homophobia in the 50’s so has to say <em>I am one of your friends. F</em>riends? Friends? And… and… we don’t get an on screen kiss until 3 seasons of them being together. But when do we get a straight kiss? When?’ the young woman finishes standing up, an arm around Val’s waist and the other holding a raging ball of dawn</p><p>‘first date, first episode’ the group choruses</p><p>‘THAT HAPPENS?’ peter yells and leaps onto the sofa, snatching the controller and rewinding 30 seconds. The woman look surprised but offers him the end of a blanket</p><p>That is how, 30 minutes later Tony Stark walks into Lesbian Club<sup>TM </sup>to see all the woman in an emotional heap on the sofa cuddled into fluffy blankets and a sniffling Peter. The tv screen shows two women having coffee together in an old shop he groans internally knowing what is happening, so he sneaks out, leaving the sobbing Peter to his -also sobbing- adopted moms and sisters.</p><p>‘Lesbians have corrupted my son’ he whispers into his hands, sighing as he begins to clear up the hot chocolate still lying spilled on the counter</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>sorry for the radio silence, ive been really busy with school and my other BlackHill fic!</p><p>have a great day/afternoon/evening</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0030"><h2>30. Pride and Proposals</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Everyone travels to Pride and one couple out themselves... BlackHill proposal!</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>hope you enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>‘FRIDAY please announce the the entire 20 top floors of the tower at full volume GET UP LAZY BUTTHOLES WE GOT SHIT TO DO’ I giggle and cover my ears, Val hastily does the same.</p><p>At once the message glares out over the speakers at deafening volume quickly followed by 3 thuds I can tell are Thor, Bruce and Stark falling out of bed, two crashes-clint falling out of a vent and peter jumping on the ceiling, forgetting his own strength and smashing straight through to the above floor and 3 gunshots and the flick of 2 knives being thrown coming from Maria and Nat’s room.</p><p>Val looks at me-it’s the only time I’ve even see her properly terrified</p><p>‘we are gunna be killed by 3 assassins, a god, a billionaire and several scientist phenomenon’s’ she whispers as the door slams open</p><p>‘What the hell are you thinking I am going to strangle you both with each other’s heart strings…’ The red-headed murder twin trails off when she sees our outfits. Val is fully decked out in jeans with rainbow cuffs and a t-shirt that says ‘the world has bigger problems than girls who kiss girls and boys who kiss boys’ with a frantic (trust me, ive fought aliens) scribbled on as well, I am wearing black mom jeans and a bi coloured cropped shirt with demi-biromantic flags painted on each cheek. Nat turns around slowly to the calendar and then turns to us… something more dangerous than death threats-… fun?</p><p>‘is it what I think it is?’ she asks slowly turning back to us</p><p>‘THAT’S RIGHT NO 4’ Val screams</p><p>‘ITS RRIDE MONTH’ I yell and Nat grins</p><p>‘FRIDAY please announce to the entire tower that all Lesbians can please assemble in conference room B. this includes all interns, security staff and employees, please tell them they will not be judged but included and meet all the female avengers to plan Pride Pranks on men in general’ she inform the AI with a raised eyebrow</p><p>‘And all the Bisexuals’ I add quickly and Val rolls her eye’s at me. A smash is heard as Carol carrying Yelena bridal style flies through the huge glass windows</p><p>‘I heard there was something gay happening so I came as quickly as I could’ she pants, dropping lena on the floor, the door bangs open again and Maria walks in, kitted out in Black Widow pjs and one of the worst bed heads I have ever seen-except when Nat tried an afro for an undercover mission.</p><p>‘jesus tashie you have successfully managed to deafen half our staff and create at least 3 dents and 2 holes in the compound ceilings and floors’ she groans, rubbing her eyes and stealing her girlfriend’s coffee</p><p>Nat bows mockingly ‘right then gals-battle armour on. From this moment on we are at war with Men’ she announces, sourcing a knife from no-where and throwing it, with point-blank range at a framed picture of Cap A, Thor and Stark on the island.</p><p>‘vicious but I like it’ Val comments and we de-assemble, running off to our various rooms to get into outfits. Val puts on full armour and I pull on my silver and black catsuit, brushing through my hair and letting it loose around my shoulders</p><p>‘you look beautiful Elskan’ Val comments and kisses me, before turning into a Pegasus and kneeling to the floor, I laugh and climb onto her back, after pulling back the huge windows she beats her wings and we soar out the window dropping metres at a time before stopping and hovering outside the windows of conference room B. After 5 hours of planning we have got everything sorted and live stream the events of the day to the labs all across the tower.</p><p>First we dyed all our receptionists hair colours of the rainbow (some voluntarily, some by sneak) then, just as the 5 most important board members walked in a huge rainbow glitter bomb went off. But that wasn’t even the best thing.</p><p>As I went to sleep that night I could feel Natasha getting ready n the room next door, wearing the exact same outfit she had the night she recruited me. By morning she is back and the news is flooded by how someone managed to sneak past 5 sets of armed guards and scale a 100m building to replace the stars and stripes flag on top of the White House with a pride flag, which on closer inspection has been signed by each female Avenger and the majority of the staff of Stark Tower.</p><p>***</p><p>‘For Thor’s sake’ I scream scrumpling the piece of paper I was writing into a ball and throwing it into the 3rd explosion Val had just caused.</p><p>‘Gay Panic?’ Shuri questions looking up from the perch on the desk she has refused to leave since her arrival 8 hours ago</p><p>‘Gay Stress’ Val confirms, picking the piece of paper gingerly off the grey flames and making a note in her notebook ‘note to self; do not burn sulfuric acid with magnesium, carbon and hydraulic acid’ Shuri snorts</p><p>‘you seriously thought that would work? Did you not do the equations?’ she questions skipping a dreadful song and laughing at the brunettes confused face</p><p>‘I was… I was meant to do…. maths… sums… equations?’ she stutters looking desperately downhearted. I glare at Shuri before comforting my girlfriend</p><p>‘you can do whatever you want Cariad, and if that’s randomly mixing shit together and hoping it makes a big bang then do it, and try not to kill us all in the process’ I explain and brush the smoking pieces away quickly</p><p>‘But what is the cause for good old gay stress fiancé’ Shuri remarks, fiddling around with her holograms giggling</p><p>‘I well WE have been invited to speak at The Pride Event of the Month and what with Val being as flaky the baclava Nat makes when she’s angry the role has been thrown to me and Val is going to stand there like a lemon while I do the work’</p><p>‘an eagle or a wolf actually’ the girl in question coughs as she sets yet another thing on fire</p><p>‘Shall I initiate protocol <em>Everything has gone to shit</em>’ FRIDAY questions from above, making us all jump over the sound of our too-loud music</p><p>‘no’ I spin my spinney chair to Val slowly with a single eyebrow raised ‘when did you create that protocol Cariad’ I question, she blushes and FRIDAY answer quickly</p><p>‘After she set fire to her 76th object in 72 hours’ I laugh and Shuri looks dejected</p><p>‘YOU HAVE SET FIRE TO MY LAB OVER ONCE AN HOUR FOR THREE DAYS STRAIGHT’ she bellows Angry Wakandan Princess coming out in full effect.</p><p>‘nothing I do is straight’ Val deadpans but we just look at her with eyebrows raised</p><p>‘Back to Gay stress’ Val tries to get the blame off her ‘read out the bloody speech and we’ll mark it’ she chucks the ball of paper back to me I smooth it out and read in an over exaggerated British accent</p><p>‘hey, Im Iris Davids but you may know me as Red Dawn and bollocking bollocks I cannot fucking write a single fucking speech for the sake of shit’ I burn it with my dawn this time so it cannot be re-read.</p><p>***</p><p>That Saturday the compound is in chaos-or rather the female side of it is. Natasha and Maria are arguing over who gets the rainbow earrings, Yelena and Carol are laughing over their prosthetic veils-making them turn into each other and Red and Val are the only ones actually ready and waiting outside by the minivan borrowed from a father-of-6 security guard. Shuri and MJ turn up on time (wow-surprise!)</p><p>--------(0_0) timie skip cus imma lazy begger----------------</p><p>‘Ladies, Gentlemen and the rather fabulous individuals who do not fit into either category, hello! I am Iris Davids or Red Dawn and I am extremally privileged to be speaking to you today-now I’m going to keep it short, Ive had to sit through enough of Captain Americas speeches to know how boring long lectures are, but I just want to say.</p><p><em>If you are coming out, if you have; I see you. If you have reasons why you are not ready; I see you too. You are loved, you are supported</em>, and I hope we can get to the space where-and I feel so proud to get to be myself-but I hope that one day it won’t be this big of a deal it will just be normal for people to be accepted as they are and you wont have to spend months or year stressing and questioning and worrying, that they wont have to be so scared ti say the few words that could change their life. That they will just bring someone home one night-a man, or a woman or a person and they wont be judged. But for now we are making steps on the right direction, and it is my delight and honor to reveal Val and I are not the only queer female Avengers’ at this the crowd goes wild and I grin as two woman walk on stage, Nat and Maria are in total disguise, wigs and prosthetic veils in place and I feel the energy in the crowd rise as I begin to introduce them</p><p>‘To my she is my супер мама, to one- Tashie, to some Natasha’ at this the crowd erupts, flags waving and voices cheering them selves horse. I hold up a hand for silence</p><p>‘To more- Agent Romanoff, but’ I look Nat straight into her unwavering emerald eyes</p><p>‘To the World she is Black Widow, Natalia Romanova’ Nat looks at me directly, slowly peeling back her prosthetic veil, voice switching from a robotic monotone to the snarky American accent I love</p><p>‘if sorry’ she says slowly, looking at me then to the crowd going wild cheering for her ‘did I step on your moment?’</p><p>I laugh and step aside, Val transform back into herself in a flash and the crowd cheers-if possible-louder, she laughs and pulls me off to the side where we stand partly out of view, watching Nat’s plan unfold</p><p>‘hello everyone’ she grins into the mic ‘I am The Black Widow and I would like to introduce you to a very special someone’ the red-head takes Marias hand and gently pully the veil away from her girlfriend’s face. The crowd goes wild.</p><p>‘Hey’ Ria mummers into the mic, shes not used to being in the spotlight or making speechs but lets her voice be heard regardless ‘I am Agent 79 of SHEILD, Commander Maria Hill. This amazing woman’s girlfriend’ she laughs and Nat takes the mic back, reaching into her pocket, I squeeze Vals hand; nervous for my mentor</p><p>‘I’d like to say a few words’ everyone quietens down as Nat speaks again. Then she gently lowers to one knee in front of Maria, pulling a small box out of her pocket and opening it gently. Ria’s hands fly to her mouth and a small squeal escapes her.</p><p>‘Maria Hill. This is usually the part where people say I have loved you since the moment I set eyes on you’ Natasha laughs and sneakily wipes away a tear  </p><p>‘but I cant say that. When I saw you, in that interrogation room however many year ago I only saw the enemy, I only saw black and red. But you have helped me, you have shown me how to laugh, taught me to be merciful, shown me how to find my stars and navigate the huge voids of darkness between them. Thank you for always being by my side, through thick and thin, robots and armies. I love you Agent 79, so’ both woman are crying now and Natasha sniffs before asking quietly</p><p>‘will you make me the happiest person alive and become my wife?’</p><p>There is a moment of deafening silence before Maria speaks</p><p>‘yes, yes Tashie, yes I would love nothing more’ she whispers and Nat pushes the ring easily onto her finger</p><p>‘yessss’ I squeal way too loudly as they kiss and approximately 5,000 people cheer themselves hoarse for the <strike> girlfriends </strike> fiancés.</p><p>‘I love you’ Nat whispers in Marias hair then turns to the shadow where Val and I are lurking, by now I am thinking of combusting with excitement and Brunn turns to me, amused</p><p>‘go congratulate your supermum’ she laughs and I spin on my heels, sprinting on stage and enveloping Natasha in a bear hug</p><p>‘imsoproudofyouyoudiditohmythoryouaregettingmarriedaghhhh’ I gush to her laughs</p><p>‘я до сих пор не могу поверить, что сделал это’ she states as I pull back, grinning like a toddler</p><p>‘ты женишься’ I confirm</p><p>‘я выхожу замуж!’ she squeaks, by now Val has joined us on stage and is examining the ring</p><p>‘hey is that the cross section of a gun barrel?’ she asks, looking at the black band the diamond is set on, Nat turns red and I raise a cryptic eyebrow</p><p>‘I…urm’ she stutters ‘I had it made out of the first gun you gave me, the first one I was allowed after de-programming, when you first told me your real name-up until then you’d only been Agent 79’ she turns to Ria</p><p>‘I remember that’ she smiles softly ‘I love it so much, I love you so much!’ and they kiss again, Brunn and I step back and as we sneak off stage she takes my hand and squeezes it</p><p>‘we’re next Elskan’ Valkyrie whispers</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>this is also an anniversary of me outting myself to one of my friends whos been begging me to tell her my celebrity crush and I finally told her... oops...</p><p>stay safe, wear masks!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0031"><h2>31. Engaged</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>everyone goes back to the tower...</p><p>sorry its been so long, I got caught up in my other work!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Maria and Natasha find us half an hour later sitting in an old café a few blocks away from the event, we slip away together and make it back to the compound at about the same time as the others.</p><p>After getting in and slumping on the sofa Maria finally speaks up</p><p>‘FRIDAY initiate protocol: We’re all in this together’ a collective screech/groan goes up</p><p>‘come on dude, that gathers everyone’</p><p>‘yeh, what dya do that for’ everyone complains and I grin to myself, knowing it calls all the team and family to the room and is only used when big news is in order. Maria and Nat however-being the superspies they are keep their faces black, but Ria subtly hides her left hand from view.</p><p>After a few minutes, the elevator opens and Tony, Pepper, Steve and Buckey walk in huffing but receive no answers until the doors open for a second time and bruce, peter and Clint stalk in, flopping on the sofa.</p><p>‘urm guys, you know we have an announcement to make’ Maria states nervously and all eye in the room swivel to the couple</p><p>‘we’re engaged’ Nat bursts out and the room flurries into motion, Peter jumps onto the ceiling, Clint falls backwards off the sofa and Thor lets out a high pitched squeal (I heard  some gasses shatter in the cabinets)</p><p>‘congratulations guys’ Stark calls and Pepper nods, smiling (she was the only one other than Val and I to know about the plan-she knows everything)</p><p>‘oh my gosh you’re getting married’ Bruce exclaims, clapping his hands together in glee</p><p>‘Congratulations’ Tony laughs as everyone lines up for hugs ‘but there is one problem…’</p><p>At once shadows cross Nat’s face, but the billionaire just laughs</p><p>‘Who will Fury walk down the isle?’ Maria’s eyes grow wide</p><p>‘Both of us?’ she questions, but Nat shakes her head.</p><p>Slowly she walks across the room to where clint is sitting huddled in the corner, trying to hide the fact he may or may not be crying a bit. She reaches out her hand and pulls him to his feet, starting to open her mouth then decided against it. Then, gently and tenderly she reaches up and calmly fiddles with his ears. A minute later she places his hearing aids on the table. Looking straight into his eyes, face clear of any emotion she begins to sign.</p><p>‘Clint, my little hawk. You saved my life, you saved me in so many ways so many times. When you came to Paris I thought you would kill me, instead you gave me a life. Without you I wouldn’t be here today. You once told me everyone has chapters of their life they don’t read out loud. You showed me how to do this. Taught me to have team mates, shoot an arrow, bake a cake. I cannot express my thanks to you. I love you so much, so, My little hawk, will you walk me down the isle’ The room is dead silent only Peter, Val, Clint, Bruce and I know sign language so Tony is reading the translation from FRIDAY. After a moment of silence Clint reaches up and wipes a tear away from his eye and begins to reply</p><p>‘Yes tashie. Yes’ at the point the red-head lets out a high pitched squeal and throws herself at the man.</p><p>Clint grabs his hearing aids and shoves them in, wincing as the cheers all around him catch up to him</p><p>‘Im walking my sister down the isle!’ he screams and then pulls out his phone ‘I gotta tell Laura and the kids’ he places another quick kiss on Nat’s head and sprint out of the room to the dial of a ring tone</p><p>***</p><p>It’s later that night I turn on my phone to find an enormous amount of media flash back, at once I call the gang over and read out to them</p><p>‘Fake Natasha Romanoff proposes in front of crowd, Red Dawn attends Pride Speech, Black Widow engaged to a woman-oh look there’s 7 question marks after that one-are all the female avengers gay, yada, yada’ I announce, showing them the post with Val and I, Nat and Maria and Carol with a huge red cross over our faces</p><p>‘wow’ Shuri states flopping on the sofa</p><p>‘I say we prove them wrong’ Ria announces, pulling out her phone</p><p>‘our good old friend’ I bow my head in mock salute ‘Red is bi’</p><p>‘yess’ Lena cheers ‘I say we post a picture of us all with our respective partners in a huge rainbow flag’</p><p>‘and comment it-‘actually we’re Queer’’ Carol agrees</p><p>‘and if you have a problem with that we will go and work for Iceland’ Nat adds, dropping down from the vents (agile like a cat, not like Clint who just drops and hopes he doesn’t crush the table he’s landing on-which he does frequently)</p><p>So we do, we hire Peter as photographer and by the end of the night a picture of all the female avenger kissing their partners is viral, posted with the suggested caption plus invites to a press conference tomorrow (Pepper’s rule)</p><p>‘ahh’ Shuri announces, stealing a blanket and pressing play on Call the Midwife ‘to be icons’</p><p>‘and engaged’ Maria giggles, snuggling into an insanely happy (like literally I think her face is broken she’s been smiling non stop since this afternoon) Natasha.</p><p>*end scene with them all giggling like 5 year olds, then sobbing as they re-watch season 4*</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>